


Unexpected

by lilacalore



Category: Naruto
Genre: Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Wedding Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-05
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2018-12-11 11:50:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 53,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11713827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilacalore/pseuds/lilacalore
Summary: Kiyoko just an ordinary girl, she is an orphan. She is sweet, caring, gentle, kind, polite, and really has a soft heart. She married to Itachi, and from that she discovers the thing she doesn't know exist, and her adventures begin. Will she survives?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> So Kiyoko's personality is really has a soft heart and innocent, and the kind of girl that is sweet and shy.

Sun shines brightly as the light appeared everywhere, it goes all the way down from the garden until the bride's room. Today is such a sunny day, reflecting happiness from both sides, the groom side and the bride side. The birds chirping near her window like they want to congratulate the bride on her wedding. She looked at herself continuously, afraid is as the clock ticking her appearance would be ruined. She hold her hands, it sweaty and cold. She is nervous which is normal for a bride. She is going to the next step of her life, no one can guess what would it be after marriage. Plus she might think that what if the wedding goes wrong?

The bird continue chirping, this time as if they know she is nervous and they want to cheer for her. There's no one else in the room, just her. They say a bride needs some time alone, but being alone it makes thing even worse. She gripped her dress, the soft material caressing her wet fingers. She wondered if there would be a trace on her dress because her hands are so wet.

She wants the ceremony to be fast so she could get over all of this as fast as possible, but on the other hand she hopes that the time will get slower because she is not ready for all of this. She dabs her dress, in attempt to straighten it, to make it looks more presentable even though its already is. She sits down, take a deep breath and try to pretend that everything is under control. It works for a minute, then she gets up again and looking at herself in the mirror. This cycle goes again and again, like a deja vu.

She opened the window, hoping the sun, fresh air and a little help from a bird that is now chirping will help her to clean her mind. The sun shine bright on her face, the fresh air blow to touch her skin and the bird dancing while chirping above her. Then, she realized something, she closed the window and looking at the mirror. Thank God her make up is not ruined, or else there will be another thing to be worried of. Just when she almost feel relaxed, something more important forbid it.

The air conditioner continue bellows chilly air, she feels like she has a stomachache. 'It just because you feel nervous' she thinks as she takes a deep breath, hold it for a few seconds and release it through her mouth. She glances at the clock, still fifteen minutes to go.

To relax your mind, usually you have to do something, but in this case, there's nothing she can do, this room has four white walls, a big clock at the corner of the room, two big sofas, one couch, a big mirror wirh table beside it, and four chairs. There's also a fake plant to make the room more appealing, nice decoration for a bride room.

There are no sounds in the room except her heartbeat and the air conditioner. Her heart beat so fast she afraid it's going to explode. As she remain sit down her gut feels weird. She didn't know how to end this never ending worry. She feels like her drress is choking her, making her hard to breathe. She really wants to take off the dress before her breath gets hard and she passed out because the lack of oxygen. Suddenly the door opened.

"Oh my god you are gorgeous!" There's a sound of footsteps coming in to her, when she looked up there are Mikoto, Tsunade, Hana, Ino, and Sakura. All of them dress really well for her wedding. She almost feel afraid someone will think that they are the bride, not her.

Kiyoko smiled and say a small thank you to them, she still feel worry that something might be wrong, or maybe it is her that have a second thoughts. All of them start to come in to the bride's room, gushing about how beautiful she is right now.

"Itachi is going to have a nosebleed" The others laugh as Tsunade said that, Kiyoko just smiled shyly. At least, this made her feel a little better, not tense like before.

"It's going to be alright, no need to be so tense. It's written all over your face." Hana hold her shaking hands, as she looked down. Her face must have shown it all, she is too agitated with this wedding, so many things she needs to worry about.

"Your hair, your face, your dress is perfect, and so are you" Hana always success at encouraging people, perks of becoming psychologist, she always good at words. "Thank you"

"There's nothing you need to worry about, ok?" Mikoto trying to convince her, getting a reassurance from the mother of your groom is great, but suddenly Kiyoko think about all the responsibility she need to do once she officially become Itachi's wife.

"I already told you I help you with anything right?" Mikoto smiled kindly at her, she smiles back. Feeling glad now that everyone is trying to calm her down, and it worked somehow.

"Oh! It's almost the time!" Ino said as everyone looked at the clock, five minutes more. "Guess we have to go now" Sakura waving her hands and going to the door with others, except Mikoto.

"I'm coming later" Now there are just Mikoto and Kiyoko in the room. "Come, you need to sit down" She guided her to sit down, just when her worry disappear she feels like it's about to come again.

"You don't need to think about this too much, I know what you feel right now, I've been a bride too, once when I married Fugaku, I know how nervous you are, trust me, every bride feel the same way" She caressing her hair carefully so she won't ruin the hair. Kiyoko feels like Mikoto is like her real mother who calm her down when her nervousness is eatig her. Mikoto eyes are warm, like every mothers.

"If things get hard in the future, you can come to me, I'm your mother after all" Kiyoko's tears is gathering on her eyes, she can't help it. She's going to cry, she knew it. "Oh, don't cry, I feel guilty if your make up ruined" Mikoto hugs her, and tell her repeatedly not to cry, she wiped away her tears and kissed her forehead. "I know you can do it"

Then the door opened "It's time"


	2. Chapter 1

The reception already over, Kiyoko never thought this would take a long time. From a daylight until it almost midnight, they are all sure really love to party. Her body is now weary from head to toe, her high heels is killing her, her calves is sore. She wants to detach her calves from her body, it stung badly. Her shoulder is stiff, she barely moved at the reception, that's why she is sure all of her body will hurt tomorrow.

There just a few people left here, the workers just tidying up the room. The wedding is outside, and after that they all went inside the room. Now she just sit there looking over people who cleaning up the room, they pick up the chair and carrying it outside. The other workers are loading the glass and plates into a basket. Now she doesn't know if she is looking or just brooding, her mind is completely exhausted for doing something even if it just looking.

Itachi is doing something right now, he said he'll be back in a few minutes, she doesn't know where he is, all she could think about is meeting her new bed, a place where she could rest. Just thinking about that making her yawning, she doesn't know where is everyone, she wants to look for them, but she is sure one of them is heading to her way, so there is no need to looking for them.

Now she is brooding, she is thinking about this morning where she feels really agitated, when her hands sweaty, her heartbeat goes rapid, her mind can't function properly because she felt nervous. She was anxious of what will happen, after the ceremony she still feel nervous, she thought the ceremony was what she worry about, but turned out being close to Itachi also making her heart flutters. Before the wedding, she often met Itachi, but never that close.

From the start Itachi always being nice to her, after the ceremony, Itachi told her that she really is beautiful. She blushed, her face reddened like a tomato and she looking at anywhere but him. He chuckled at her reaction, she is too shy until she forgot to say thank you after he called her beautiful. He offered her a food which she declined politely, she already ate before, plus she is too anxious to do anything now.

Itachi always asked if she is okay or if she needs anything during their wedding. He wanted to make her as comfortable as possible, he sometimes talking to her about his friends who just congratulate him after they left, he talked about how they met, their occupation and much more. They did the wedding for two sessions, first, is when the ceremony until after the ceremony. After that, she change her dress, get a new make up, and adjusting her hair. When the beautician was doing her job, Mikoto praised her, she looks beautiful with her dress, she looks graceful, Mikoto said everybody already loves her. She knew this is to make her less worry, and not too tense, which she is glad Mikoto said that.

In between the changing dress and fixing make up, somehow she managed to eat, even it's just a small portion, she ate in hurry. Two sticks of Dango and a glass of water. She is glad Mikoto bought that for her, if it wasn't for her she won't eat anything from the start of the wedding until it ends.

After she finished, she and Mikoto heading to the reception building, there were so many people already. Men and women looks glamour on a fancy dresses, they are all Itachi's relatives. She didn't invite many people, since she doesn't have much friends. She alredy noted that Itachi's friends are all elites. The women used a really expensive dress and limited edition accessories while the men wear branded suit and shining shoes.

She seated beside Itachi, she is still haven't used to sitting next to him. She tried to smile so she could hide her nervousness. It worked, even just a little bit. People come and go to congratulate them, mostly people she doesn't know, her bestfriend Aiko, Emiko, Eri, Akane, Hikari, and Masami already went home, not that they left her, but more because there's no need for them to be here since they can't be close to her because she was too busy with the guest that seemed to keep coming. Itachi is sure has a lot of relatives.

Itachi asked if she is tired, she said no, when the truth is she wasn't sure she survived until the end of the reception. This is too tiring for her, but Itachi looks like he could continue this for one week again. He didn't look tired at all, he looks like he enjoys it. How can someone said wedding is like you're being a king and queen while the truth she feels like it's a torture.

Everytime Itachi asked her or trying to make a conversation she tried to extend it as much as she can, but still, she can't hold a conversation from the beginning until this wedding end. And most of the time things tend to get awkward. At least for her, there's no trace of boredom since Itachi's face looks happy. It's not like she hates Itachi, she likes him. From the very first time she knows him he is nice, she rarely met him so she wasn't so sure what he is like in daily life, but as far as she can say he is really polite and kind, but wedding is for two people who loves each other, she likes him, but she doesn't know Itachi's feeling, she just hope it's not hate.

She thought about it once more, she likes him? Really? Why? Because he is handsome? Itachi's face is definitely a gift to humankind, his attitude reflects a prince, so polite and kind. He is tall, Kiyoko just got below his chin. His body is not full muscles like Captain America, but she can see his broad chest which makes her believe his body is great. He is not smart, but he is genius. He has three majors, Chemistry, Philosophy, and History. She wonder sometimes if the way her talking is looking like a fool in front of him, because their brains is literally different. Kiyoko hasn't got her major yet, because it will be official next month. Her major will be Arts. She loves to draw and looks at an artwork that's why she chose Arts.

She is too busy brooding until she doesn't realize someone coming to her way. Her back is clinging on the back of the chair, her eyes are at her shoes, her mind is somewhere else, still thinking about what will happened next. She forgot about the cold air around her, it is too cold now her skin is freezing. The pink haired girl walking towards her, her high heels clicking with the floor, it can be heard from afar since the room now is almost empty, but Kiyoko too engrossed with her mind she didn't know what happend around her.

"Hi hi, you're thinking too much" Sakura put her hands on her chin and lift up her face, there a small gasp when she did that, Kiyoko startled Sakura is now in front of her. Sakura always looks beautiful, she is now wearing a long red dress that sweep the floor, she let her hair down. Her hair colours really suits her, her permanent purple diamond bindi is making her even more prettier.

"Congratulations" Kiyoko smiled at Sakura, Sasuke just proposed her in front of everyone. Sakura of course, said yes. She was crying happily, everyone is clapping and cheering.

"Congratulations to you too, I know you get tired of hearing that words, but I am happy for you" Sakura said as she sits beside Kiyoko, now the two of them just looking at people who clean up the hall. "Thank you"

"I just remembered I am here to tell you to take a bath, this building have a bathroom for a bride so after wedding they can wash themselves, and I will remove your make up since Ino who said will remove your make up is missing"

"Alright" Kiyoko stands up, when she did she almost fall down, she is too tired and the high heels too high, if only she is not that short she didn't have to wear high heels this tall. Sakura was quick, apparently she has a good reflexes. She holds Kiyoko's arm and her back. "You really are tired"

"I am fine" Kiyoko gets up and started walking, as she walked everyone smiled at her and said congrats to her. She smiled back and said thank you, she didn't know it before, Uchihas is very famous and respectable apparently, everyone here is now respect her.

"You're very happy, aren't you?" Sakura is now mocking her, Kiyoko's face turned a little red. "This is a very happy day for the both of us" Sakura smiled "It is"

"When I first saw you I thought Tsunade sama is your mother" Kiyoko is now sitting on a chair, she is drying her hair with a towel, she looks at Sakura's reflection on the mirror. Sakura is busy putting Kiyoko's thing on the bag. Bride's goods is a lot, she helped Sakura just now, but realize if she doesn't dry her hair she will have a cold. "Why?"

"Because of the mark, but after I met Ino I thought she is the daughter because their hair colour is the same"

"And turned out she doesn't too"

"Are you done with your hair?"

"Yes" It's just a little damp, but that's okay. "Great, now you can go eat dinner with Itachi" Kiyoko looks surprised, she turned her head to look at Sakura who just standing there. "What?"

"I thought after this we're going home" Sakura walked to her, Kiyoko looking at herself in the mirror. Her brown hair reach her waist, her brown eyes looking worriedly at herself. She is exhausted, she wasn't sure can stand to have a dinner. 'Maybe I faint when I have a dinner' she thought.

"You almost didn't eat anything since this morning, if you just go home you could have faint on your way, so it is the best way to eat now" Sakura is right, but she chose sleep over eat now. Her eyelids is heavy, she fights to keep them open because she hasn't meet a bed. She chooses not to argue with Sakura, and stand up, the faster she eat, the faster she going home and sleep.

"Are you coming?"

"No, I'm waiting for Sasuke here. Don't worry about your things someone will bring them home" Kiyoko hugged her and say thank you, Sakura kisses both of her cheek and Kiyoko leaves.

Kiyoko drags her feet to the ballroom, she forgot to ask Sakura where she should have a dinner, she is too lazy to go back and ask her. She meets a few people who keep saying congratulations and she replied them with a thank you and smiled on her lips. They must have seen that she literally is tired now, some of them even wish her to have a good rest. She wears sweater and a jeans, but she feels chilly air touch her bones, tonight is so cold or is it just because she just took a bath?

"Kiyoko sama! Itachi sama is already waiting for you to join him for dinner, I will show you the way" She says thank you continuously to her, if she hasn't suddenly turn up she will walking around this building until the morning.

She looks around, most of the chair is already gone, they were so fast to clean up a room this big. She is too busy looking around until she didn't realize where she is now. She keeps walking until she hit something or someone?

"Kiyoko?" She searches for the sound and found Itachi sitting on a chair, he wears a white long sleeves t shirt, his hair is tied as usual, and he smiles at Kiyoko, in front of him is a round table full of food, started from asian until western food. Beside him is an empty chair with an empty plate on the table.

"Thank you for bringing my wife here" She looks at someone in front of her, so she accidentally bumped into her just now. "I'm sorry I accidentally bumped into you and thank you for leading the way" She smiles and bow to them before leaving the two of them.

"You must be hungry, come here have a seat" As Kiyoko walked toward him, Itachi gets up and pulling her chair, she seat and says thank you. She looks at the food in front of her, this is too much even for two people, she doesn't know what to eat first. "Oh, I'm sorry I left you, turned out the business is more complicated than I thought, that's why I ask Sakura to accompany you"

"It's ok"

"Thank you for the food" they both said as Itachi start eating, he eats beef first, and then chicken. "What's wrong?" Seems like he knows her watching him while he eats, he paused for a moment and look at her.

"I- I think it's too much, I don't know where to start" he chuckled, she grip her hands below the table, it's the first time she was alone with Itachi, this is too overwhelming.

"You can start with anything, but since you are confused I recommend you to eat this" he take a beef with his chopsticks and put it in front of her lips. She tried to take it with chopsticks too, but he dodge it. She is confused, he just smiled at her and put it in front of her lips again.

"Let me feed you" She feels her face getting hotter, her face is slowly, but surely turned red. She looks anywhere but him, at the same time looking around searching for anyone to start noticing them. Strangely, no one was around and everything is gone the tables, chairs, people who moved them, literally everyhing. In the room now it's just Kiyoko and Itachi. That truth makes her face even more redder, being this close with Itachi and no one was around is making her heart beats faster and makes her face looks like a boiled crabs.

"It's ok" The fact that he is smilling sincerely when her face is red is calming her. He doesn't make fun of her, or mocking her, but it seems like he tries to calming her down. She eats the beef and the flavour tastes great in her mouth. The texture is soft and it cooked perfectly. She moaned a little, she had never tasted a beef this good.

"It is delicious, thank you" she smiles at him, without looking at his reaction she takes the beef and eat it. Afraid he would tell her to feed him, she just not ready for that.

"You should try the sushi and croissant" she tried the sushi and didn't have a room for croissant since she is eating an ice cream. This is the best meal she has ever eaten. All of this is so good she feels like she wants to bring this food home because she can't eat anymore she is full.

Itachi is still eating seems like he tries to make up his lost meal today, he eats a lot but still manage to look good. She ended up looking him while he is eating, her brown eyes glued on him, she hopes he doesn't realize it, she hopes she has time to look away before he catches her, but it was too late.

"Are you done?"

"I didn't mean...."

"I mean are you done with your food? I assume you're already full?" She thought he was talking about her done watching him, she was wrong, this is embarrassing. "Yeah, I am full"

"Alright, we should go home now, it is already late" he helped her with the chair, even when she didn't need it, he literally is a gentleman. "Thank you"

"My pleasure"

They walked through the big door, it is the entrance of this building, she walked a little behind Itachi trying not to be so close and not too far at the same time, she knows she sould be holding hands with Itachi right now, or hold his arms or even Itachi should put his hand around her waist, but she isn't ready for any of that.

When they were outside a car was waiting for them, Itachi opened the passengers door for her, she said thank you and he just smiled at her, she blushed a little, then Itachi come in from the other side. She puts her seatbelt on and grip it, now what? She doesn't know what topic should she talks with him. When they ate just now, it doesn't matter they're not talking much because they are eating, but now it will be awkward if ther aren't. If she tried to fake asleep then when the arrived she will wake up and Itachi knows she faked asleep, but if she doesn't there's a chance he will carry her, that's definitely going to make her blush, then he will know she is lying. Seems like there's no other alternative except being awkward.

"So, all of your friends who come today is from college?" She turned her head to him, he surely know how to make a conversation. "Yeah" She tries to make a conversation about his friends, but she doesn't know where to start since his friends is too many. "Your friends today........ Are a lot"

"Yeah, but some of them is father's friends" Then there's silence. For the next minute none of them talk, she just looking at the window, watching the empty streets. It is now 2.24 am everyone must be asleep. Her eyelids become very heavy, she leaned on window beside her, slowly her eyelids is close, but she opened them gain. Not long after that, her eyes flutter. She can't take it anymore she needs sleep. Her eyelids is closed, the silence makes the atmosphere call and serene, the perfect ambience to sleep. Then she falls asleep with her head on the window.

She wakes up suddenly, she didn't know why, when she looks around she still in the car, on the way home. "Looks like you just wake up"

"Yeah, I fall asleep"

"It's okay if you want to sleep, it's fine" she doesn't know what to respond, she just looking outside the window enjoying the scenery. "Your mother was came, but she didn't have time to meet you, she said she is sorry because she needs to take care of the kids in orphanage"

"I'm glad she came"

Now they arrived at Fugaku's house, they will staying here for a few months until they finished their house. She had been here for multiple times, but it still felt strange for her to live here. She takes off the seatbelt, when she's about to opened the door beside her, she was surprised that the door already opened, and there is Itachi standing while his hand on the door. He is so fast until she didn't hear he opened the door.

"Thank you"

"You don't have to say it over and over again, but you're welcome" Kiyoko and Itachi walked through the house, Itachi opened the door for her, just when she's about to say thank you he already beats her and said 'you're welcome' she smiled shyly and said thank to god because they already arrived, this means she can finally sleep.

"Ah, you already arrived" Mikoto standing beside the couch, even with her being with Kiyoko since the ceremony begin, Mikoto didn't even look tired. She looks like she is fine, her face is still pretty, her eyes are warm, and the smile on her face when she saw them coming is bright.

Mikoto hugs Kiyoko and Itachi at the same time, she hugs them so tight as if she didn't met them for a long time. "Alright mom, it's enough, I think you crushed Kiyoko"

"Ah, right. Sorry" Mikoto let both of them go, then look at Kiyoko worryingly. "It's alright"

"Do you need anything? Water? Milk?"

"No, thank you. I'm fine"

"Alright, both of you rest. It's late already. Sweet dreams"

Kiyoko and Itachi headed to Itachi's bedroom, or now we can say their bedroom. Kiyoko heartbeat getting faster and faster, she is clenching her fist, she never sleep with a guy before, well she has never touch a guy other than shaking their hands. She never entered Itachi's room before, she felt really nervous right now, but it would be weird if they don't sleep in the same room, they're a newlywed so it is normal or should we say they have to say in the same room because they newlywed?

Itachi's opened the door for her, she says thank you and taking a peek, the wall is dark green, there's a cupboard a bookshelves and a bed. She's afraid to get in, Itachi can see that on her face. "It's ok, you need to rest"

She slowly got inside, now she can see his room clearly, on the right side there's a bathroom, and there's a cupboard in front of her, his bed is on the middle of the room while on the left side there's a bookshelves, a desk and a chair. There's also a big window with curtains coating it, his room is clean and neat, really reflecting himself.

"Um.. Can I go to the bathroom?" Even with a heater the car temperature still make her shivers, she has to pee, her bladder is full because of the cold temperature. "Of course you can, you don't have to ask, it's your room too"

"Uh... Right" she says in a small voice only she can hear and go to the bathroom. When she's done she got out and find Itachi sitting on the edge of a bed with his phone on his hands. She doesn't even know where is her phone, and she's too tired to think about that right now.

Itachi get up and heading to the bathroom, she is too tired to wait for Itachi, so she climbs over the bed and pull the covers up until it covers half of her face. She didn't know what happend afterwards, she closes her eyes, and finally get some rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for my grammar error, I will try my best:) see you!


	3. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This mostly flashback, but I promise there will be more Itachi in the next chapter.

I feel so secure with this layer of blankets and comforter covering my body, it is so warm and comfortable here, unlike in the bording house, where it is always cold because I don't have enough blanket. I opened my eyes slowly, but immediately close it again, my eyes still trying to adjust, even in the dark room. I stretch myself and feeling something on my feet, it is soft and warm, take me a moment to realize it is a sock. Did I wear it before I sleep? No, so why it's on me now?

When I try to figure it out, I remember everything now, the wedding, dinner, and this is Itachi's room which means he is sleeping next to me right now. I freeze, I moved as quietly as possible so he still think I'm sleeping, I peek with one eye and found the bed beside me is empty. Thank god he is already awake before me, I curled up, planning to sleep again. Itachi must have add the blanket, the last time I remember there's just one comforter, but now there are also two blankets. I wonder if Itachi wakes up too fast, it's still early isn't it? I search for the clock on the nightstand and see it shows 01:11 pm. I quickly get up and see it again, thinking maybe I just imagine. It turns out right. I immediately take my clothes and go to the bathroom, I overslept, this is bad. If Mother Midori knows I wake up this late she will be so angry.

It's normal to wake up a little late since we arrived at almost three am, but in my case I'm far too late. Plus, this is Itachi's parents house. Fugaku is really strict, although he never admonished me until now, but I'm afraid it's about to happen. I brush my hair, while looking at my reflection on the mirror. I think I need a haircut.

After that, I leave the bedroom to find Mikoto and Sakura sitting on a couch while looking at the magazine. "Good afternoon" They look up and smile, "You have a good sleep?" I don't know if this is a sarcastic question or not, Mikoto's face is sincere so I guess she's not. "Yes, I'm sorry I think I overslept"

"Ah, it's ok. That happens, even I didn't wake up until twelve am" but still I am worse, I didn't wake up until one pm. "You should eat, you must be hungry"

"I'm sorry I didn't help you to make breakfast and.... Lunch"

"It's alright, you are tired I understand" Mikoto is really kind, she smiles a lot, unlike Fugaku, his face is always tense and rigid. Sometimes I'm afraid being in the same room as him.

"Where's Itachi?" Mikoto smiles as I mention her sons name. "You're already miss him, aren't you?" Sakura rises one of her eyebrows, she smiles mockingly at me and Mikoto laughing at my reaction. "He is in the library"

I quickly eat my brunch, Mikoto literally good at cooking, she cooks Matsutake Soup, Shrimp Tempura, Karaage, Tsukemono and there's still a lot of food in the table. The mushrooms from the soup filled my mouth, the fish is cruncy and tasty, the shrimp is delicious, I feel like this is the homemade food ever. I don't remember being hungry, nevertheless I feel like I will eat all of this. 

After I finished, I take a seat on the couch beside Mikoto, she is looking to a magazine on her and Sakura's hand. When I see it carefully, they are looking to a brides gown catalogue. Why am I not surprised?

"Did Itachi already eat?"

"Yes, he did" I get up and walking into the kitchen, I am looking for tea in the cabinet. If I didn't make a dinner at least I can make something. Even in the afternoon, the sky is grey and the temperature is chilly, looks like it's going to rain. So, it will be a wise decision to make some tea. I boil the water and prepare the cup.

"Where's Sasuke and Father?"

"Sasuke is on his way here, and Fugaku is arranging something"

"So, Itachi is alone in library?" I'm pouring the tea to each cup, then i bring it with a tray to Mikoto and Sakura. "Yeah, he is. Thank you"

"You're welcome" I excuse myself to go to the library, Sakura's cheering me up, Mikoto said that I and Itachi should take a long time in library. I still remember the first time I met Mikoto, it started in a morning when I received a notification that I got a legacy from my mother.

~

The bell rings, usually when someone want to adopt they will call first, but sometimes they didn't. Maybe this one is just going to give us something, a new dress? Or maybe they're going to give the kids a new toys? Or maybe they just want to put someone here.

"I think it's just someone who wants to fix the sink" Haru said as she peek on the window, there is a few kids in the garden who cleaned the garden and cut bush along with grass. This month is their duty, I think mine is two months from now. I just remember the sink is broken, Ikumi is the last person who uses the sink, I don't know what she did, but after that, the tap can't even turn on, if we use basin to collect water, the water will leak and make the floor wet. I actually happy because we don't have to wash the dishes after we eat, but the clean plate is decreasing, while a pile of plate is increasing in the sink.

"Oh no, I think his dress is too formal to fix our sink" I peeked beside her, moved the curtain which blocked my view. She is right, he wears a suit with a tie, his hair is shiny, he brings a briefcase and his shoes is shining, it looks very expensive. He definitely not someone who will fix our sink.

"I think he is a... Philanthropist?"

"Yeah, I agree" We still looked at him in the window, it takes us a while to realize he is walking to our direction, the closer he goes to our way, the higher possibilities he will know we are staring at him. Haru and I run for the living room, we pretend like we're reading a magazine.

There's a knock on the door, me and Haru looked at each other contemplating who should opened it. I run for the door and opened it, there he is, a man that I stared just now. From up close he looks really clean and neat, he seems realy rich if we looked at the things he wears, I can feel powerful aura around him.

"How may I help you?" Behind him is a children who just cleaning the garden, their clothes is dirty after cleaning the garden, sweats dripping from their forehead, they're still holding garden utilities, some of them still running to get to the door, all of their eyes lit up like a lamp in the darkness. Full of hope, they are hoping this man will adopt them.

"Can I meet the housemother?" His voice is calm, he smiled as he talks. He is literally polite. "I am the housemother" Mother Midori is walking towards us, she is wearing her usual dress, a navy gown that reaches the floor.

"Excuse me for bothering you, but I need some time to talk to Hara Kiyoko too"

"I am Hara Kiyoko" The kids face fall, seems like their hope is vanished. I feel bad, but something inside me somehow feel like he doesn't want to adopt me. "Then, I suppose we should get inside" Mother Midori gives him her sweet smile, she led us to the living room and let this man seat. "Haru, would you please make us some tea?" Haru nodded and head to the kitchen, the kids following us to the living room and still looking at the man, hoping he still wants to adopt them, even when he wants to talk to me.

"This, I bought some candies" The man give them candies from his briefcase, the kids smile happily and thank him. "Now, you all can clean yourself. We're going to have some talk here, alright?" They're nodding and go outside to put the utilities back, then clean themselves.

"My name is Erizawa Kenji, I'm Hara Michiko's lawyer, or we can say I'm your mothers lawyer"

"I know this is maybe shaking you a little, I know you don't know a thing about your mother, now I am here to explain all of your question, maybe not all, but the important ones"

Now, here am I don't know what to ask, I always wonder what my mom looks like, what's her disease until she finally dead. I look at him, just staring, why he suddenly come to tell me all of this? Why now? He seems like he understands I am confused, he opened his briefcase and pulling out some papers. Then, he handed me a picture of a woman. Her raven hair reaches her shoulder, her eyes are brown like mine, she is smiling at the camera and I can tell before he says who she is.

"She is your mother" I hold the picture in my hands, examining it, tracing it lightly with my hands. The picture is old, I can tell, I think she's about my age at that time. She is beautiful with her black hair, so I guess I got my brown hair from my father. "Can I keep it, please?"

"Sure, you can" Mother Midori gives me a handkerchief, I don't know why she did, but then I realize I am crying. I take it and wipe my tears, why am I crying?

"Well, I think you don't know where to start, so I have to explain to you from the beginning. Your mother is a brave girl, she has you when she is eighteen, she decided to keep you, but she realize she can't keep you for longer because of her terminal illness"

"What kind of terminal illness?"

"Kiyoko, listen to him until the end" Mother Midori reminded me, right, where is my manner?

"It's okay. Your mother didn't tell me the detail, but she is really sick at that time. So, she put you here. In hope that someone will give you a better life"

"Where is my father?" I never heard a word about him, mother Midori just tell me the stories on how she found me and give me the letter saying 'I am dying, please take care of her'

"I just know that he is dead too, she says he is an architect and he isn't live long enough to see you"

"Also, I am here to give you your mother legacy" he handed me some papers from his briefcase. "You can read it first, after that, you have to sign at the bottom, and do the same thing to other papers" Now I understand why he came to me now, there's written here I must be eighteen years of age to receive my mother legacy. I just turned eighteen yesterday, and that night I'm thinking about how I supposed to live after I left the orphanage, now thankfully I have some money to keep living for a while before I get a job.

Her legacy may not be much to other people, but this is more than enough for me. "You can move to your new home tomorrow, your mother already paid the rent for a year, you can read the full information on the paper. If you have any questions you can contact me, this is my card"

"Oh, and if you have time tomorrow we can discuss about the detail because I don't have much time today. We can met in your house?" He collected his stuff and stand up, ready to leave.

"How about here?"

"Then here it is. I will be here at two am tomorrow, thank you Mother Midori for your hospitality, and thank you to you to Hara Kiyoko" With that he leaves, even the tea that Haru makes hasn't arrived yet. Well, he literally is busy.

-

It has been a week after I met Kenji, I finally moved to my new house, there's not much of furniture since I don't have any, thanks to my mother she had added a few important furniture, like a bed, cupboard, desk, and a chair. I aready bought stove and other cooking utensils, so I can save while looking for a job. Kenji said I can apply to college if I get a job, that's why I have been searching for it, there's not much occupation for me since I just finished High School, Kenji has been searching a job for me, but so far no one called me back.

Today, I'm going to deliver a letter and other things to a woman named Uchiha Mikoto, my mother said in a note she is her best friend, and tell me to give this by myself. She also give me the address, I hope she hasn't moved yet.

I walk through the streets, all the house here is a mansion, so elegant and must be expensive. My mom's best friend is surely rich, I wonder if I dress properly to her house. I finally found the house, this house is huge, it protected by black iron and it took me a moment to found the bell. After I click it, I waited for someone to opened the gate, but there's no one. Instead, I heard a voice, but there's no one here.

"This is Uchiha's abode, what can I help you?"

"I am Hara Kiyoko, I'm here to deliver a letter from my mom"

"How can I know you're not lying?" I don't blame her, if I have a mansion like this I will questioning everyone who wants to come in too. There are so many kinds of robbery these days. "It's okay if you don't want me to come in, I will leave this letter in front of your house"

"No, you can come in" the gate opened and I can see the house, this house is a modern house, but they still have some parts which is traditional. I can see a small bridge with a pond beneath it, there are some trees too and I can see the huge garage, there are three cars and all of them is shiny and I am sure it's expensive.

I am walking into the bridge and continue until I found the big door, I'm sure this is the entrance. I look out for the bell, but there is none. I knocked the door and it opened itself, I entered and found myself in a Genkan, I take off my shoes and change into uwabaki. This Genkan is bigger than usual Genkan, I'm not surprised this house is also big too. I am waiting for someone to come up and greet me where is the lady that I just talked via intercom just now?

I keep waiting until finally I heard a footsteps coming. "Welcome, I am Uchiha Mikoto it's nice to meet you" She is a middle aged woman, her hair is black and also her eyes, she is beautiful, more importantly she seems friendly. She hold out her hands and I shake it gently. "You can come in"

I entered the house and it is huge, the living room can hold more than twenty people at once, there's a big chandelier above, a leather couch and a table in front of it, there's also a huge window which from where I stand I can clearly see the backyard. On the right side there is a hearth made from stone, on the wall hung a beautiful painting from Julie Mahretu.

I can't believe I can see the painting in real life, this is spectacular. I can't stop seeing the painting, this is literally work of art. This is fascinating, my eyes are blessed. This is the best day of my life.

"You like it?" She noticed I am staring at the painting, and I nodded in shame. "It's Julie Mahretu, isn't it?"

"So you like art too? Yes it is. Come in, please sit down"

I walked in and sit down in one of the couch, still enchanted by the painting. "What do you want to drink? Tea? Coffee?"

"It's okay, you don't have to"

"No, is tea okay with you?"

"It is, thank you" well, if she insist. "Thank you" She puts the tray on the table, hot fumes gather above the cup. She takes a cup for herself then I take mine, I take a little sip and sighed in delight. This is so good I think I need another cup. "This taste really great"

"My name is Hara Kiyoko, I am the daughter of Hara Michiko's. A week before I got my mothers legacy and I also found this letter, and she told me to deliver this myself" I give the letter to her, she examined it and smile.

"Michiko is a really great friend of mine, she is my bestfriend" She opened the letter and read it carefully. "Thank you for delivering this letter to me. You don't know how precious this is to me"

"You're welcome"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure"

"How much did you know about my mother?"

She told me about how they met until the last time they met. "The last time is fifteen years ago, I know she had a daughter, but that just it. I don't even know her name, she didn't tell me. Her life is.... Hard, sometimes she didn't tell me her problem and tell me later when she already fix it herself. She has many enemies, that's why she try to keep you save and put you in the orphanage. Not because she dumped you, but it is to protect you from any harm"

Maybe, just maybe she is right. The only one that knows my mother name is just me, mother Midori and some of my friends. Mother Midori said not to tell my mother's name to anyone, unless it is necessary.

"It means there's a three years gap when she left me in the orphanage and when she died, do you know what she is doing at that time?"

"She fixed things, and also get a lot of trouble" Mikoto zoned out a little then looking at me.

"How about her terminal illness? When she puts me in orphanage she left a note saying she is dying" Mikoto thought for a moment and then speaks. "I think it's a heart disease"

"She didn't tell you the details, did she?"

"She is full of secrets"

"Thank you for everything you have told me, I really appreciate it"

"You're welcome" I stand up ready to leave, but she held me. "You're leaving so soon?"

"Uh, I don't want to interrupt your day"

"No, of course not. Let's talk again, there are so many things I want to ask about you" I sit down and continue talking with her. She is friendly, she asked about how I live in orphanage, she said if I ever need anything I could just ask her. I tell her I am looking for a job and have enrolled in some occupation, she told me she can also help finding a job, but I said if by the end of the month I don't have the job then I would ask her.

"As your mother's bestfriend I am sorry not to meet you sooner, I should've take care of you since a long time ago"

"No, it's okay. I'm fine, and I'm sure my mother will understand that"

"So, how about having lunch tomorrow?"

"I have a job interview tomorrow, how about Saturday?"

"Hm, I think Saturday is good. I will ask my husband and my son if they can make it in Saturday, if they can't then we just going to have a girls day"

That's when I first get closer to Mikoto, I'm not really close to her entire family for a while, but as the time passed by I met Fugaku, Sasuke and Itachi. I really am grateful that my mother has a bestfriend like Mikoto, she really helps me a lot. She is like my real mother, I grow really close to her because her husband is on a mission and her sons is still in college now. She likes to spending time with me. Mikoto told me that her husband is some sort of cops, but in higher rank, like FBI I think. And they service to the government. No wonder they create a house which looks like an empire. Also, both of her sons is doing their study while working in the same field as their father that's why the two of them is rarely home. She told me usually there is her friend accompanying her, but today they have something to do.

Mikoto tries to convince me to live in her house with her, so I can accompany her when her husband and sons is working. I don't feel like it's a great idea and I feel like a burden if I did that, so I refuse politely.

~

Now that I live here, even just for temporary until we finish build Itachis's house, I feel happy, because I finally have a family.


	4. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As I tell you before, lots of Itachi!

I knock on the library's door, am I supposed to wait until he says come in or I can just get in? After a while I decided to enter, this library is so vast, this is bigger than I expected. I just thinking about a room with three bookshelves, but this is amazing, This room have like twenty bookshelves? I'm not counting, but the number is around that. I stand on the threshold, too amaze with this library, there are still many parts of this house that I haven't seen yet. This is absolutely my favourite place in this house, well the bedroom too.

"Kiyoko?" That's Itachi, he is standing beside the bookshelf with a shirt and a long pants, yet he still looks good. "I am here to bring you a tea, since it's cold"

"Ahh thank you" I walk into him and see that the table is on my left side, I put the tray on the table and put the teapot and cup on the table. "Please have some tea with me"

I take a seat in front of him, there is a lamp to light the library in the ceiling and a pendant lights above every desk here. The single sofa is comfortable I see they want to make the library as comfortable as possible.

"This tastes really great"

"Thank you. Careful it's still hot" I take a sip from my cup and feels my tongue burning, but yes it tastes great.

I see a book on his desk, it's thick leather book and he already halfway through it. Now I feel like I'm interrupting him. He still takes a sip on his tea, I'm warming my hands with cup on my palm. The temperature gets colder suddenly, even with long sleeve shirt I can feel the cold tingling on my skin.

"It's rain"

"How can you tell?"

"By the windows behind you" I turn my head and found there's a raindrops pn the window, the sky is dark and there's lightning strikes and the wind blowing makes the tree turn their branch to the direction that wind goes. It is storm.

"It's rain heavily, or is it a storm?"

"I think it just rain heavily, because usually storm is worse than this" Then there is silence, none of us talking. I draw my attention to the cup in my hands, I think it's not too hot anymore. I sip and thinking what topic should I bring to start a conversation.

"Did you have a good sleep?" Is this sarcastic or not? I think it's not. "Yeah it was great, I'm sorry I overslept"

"Nah, it's okay"

"Thank you for the socks and blankets" Finally I have something to talk about. "It's my pleasure" Now what?

"Yesterday you seem really cold, I am worried" Itachi already finished his tea when I just drink half of my drink. To think that he is worried about me makes my blood rushing to my face, I just hope he doesn't notice. I turned my head to the bookshelves, how should I answer him? "Uh.. I am okay"

"Here, have some more" I push the teapot on his direction, changing the subject. He poured the tea to his cup and sip it. "You like to read books?" I look back at him, our eyes met, his eyes are black, but somehow it twinkling. Like a star adorned the night sky.

"Yeah" Mother Midori always told us to read the book everyday, and somehow it becomes a habit, a good one, and I enjoyed it until now.

"What kind of book did you read?"

"Uh.. Fiction?" I know so well he is bot the kind of person who reads fiction, he must be someone who reads non fiction, especially the kind of educational or science books.

"Well, we have some" he gets up and walking into one of the shelves, I follow him and see the shelf which is full, I recognize some of the books here, there are some that I want to read, and few that I have read. "Pick one"

There are a few books I want to read, which one should I read first? "I think I'll read that one" Red Rising book is on the highest shelf, I stretching my hand in attempt to reach it, but my hand isn't long enough, I stand on my tip of foot's thumb hoping it will make me reach the book, it still doesn't working. A hand came up behind me, a masculine scent engulfed me as his hand reach the highest shelf. I am paralyze, never have I ever have a man with a proximity like this. I'm enfeebled with tip toeing with my thumb or is it because he is too close. For a quite long time I learned ballet it takes some time for me to get tired, not a quick time like this, so it must be him.

I freeze with my hand still in the air, trying to reach the book that is in Itachi's hand now. His body didn't touch mine, but I feel shivers in my body just by being close with him. He takes a step back, and I pull my hand back and stnding on my feet. "You learn ballet?"

"Uhuh, Mother Midori is a ballerina so she teaches us a little" For the next few seconds I'm still tip toeing on my foot's thumb, until I realise there's no need for me to do that. I am humiliating myself.

"This, you can read it" He handed me the book, it looks so precious on his hand, moreover it's a hardcover. I take it and said a quick thank you. "Don't mention it"

I get back to the table and read it there, I just finished chapter one when he starts a conversation, he already closed his book, he even remember to put a bookmark on it. "Have you eaten?"

"I have, before I came here"

"You will graduate this month, won't you?"

"Yeah, I am"

"What do you want for your graduation?"

"Uhm.. Nothing" He looks like he doesn't believe me, he furrowed his eyebrows while reading my expression. "Are you sure?" I nodded my head as a sign that I am sure.

"If there's anything you want just tell me" i smiled. "I will" Well, I doubt that, even if there is something, will I have a courage to tell him? "When was the first time you realize you want to be a painter?"

So, I think he is asking questions to know more about me, I have to do the same, but I don't know where to start. Is asking for a favorite colors is too tacky? "At first, I have a hobby of drawing in the middle of the book in a math class, so the teacher will think I'm counting on something, so she didn't choose me to do the assignment in front of class"

"So you don't like math?"

"Nobody does" His expression changed, as if I insulted him. "Ohh, you like math? Sorry"

"I don't really like it, but I just enjoyed it" Hm, so what's the difference?

"So it becomes a habit?"

"Yeah, when I'm in drawing class I got a good score and I love to paint. So, I decided to become a painter"

"How about you?"

"I mean, you really love to study, right?" Of course he is, he didn't get three major if he didn't study. While waiting for his answer I am thinking of what should I ask next, hmm maybe favorite major?

"It's just I love to read, so studying is not really hard for me" He just being modest, from the vere beginning I know him he never get cocky about something, even when there are so many things he can be cocky about. I smiled at him and continue reading my book, I can sense his eyes on me while I'm reading, I try like I don't know he's watching, but I get nervous. It's either I compose myself and try to focus on my reading or my face gets all red and he will notice that I ignore him.

"Is something wrong?" Itachi is still looking with his dark eyes. I'm shaking my head, but my eyes are still glued on the book, even when I'm not reading at all. If only I talked more with boys I wouldn't be this nervous.

"You said you like fiction?" He always the one who started a conversation, it can't be like this, I should come up with something. I closed my book and nodded, "I am"

"Have you read The Lord of the Rings?"

"No, because I already saw the movie, I don't really enjoy the book if I already saw the movie first" before he can answer I finally have a question for him. "So, you like non fiction books?"

"Well, as I said before I love reading, so I read anything, doesn't matter if it's fiction or non fiction"

"Are you cold?"

"No, I'm fine"

"If you feel cold I can turn on the heater"

"No, you don't have to" I regret not having a socks ony feet, my feet is cold as I rub my feet with one another trying to keep it warm. Then, there's silence, I am thinking really hard about what topic I should come up, while he is maybe run out of topic and wait for me to find one. "So, you like Dangos?"

"Yeah I love it, I think everyone must have figured it out" He chuckles as he talked, is it possible that he is embarrassed? It becomes clear why he ate a lot of Dangos yesterday.

"What's your favorite food?"

"I have a lot, almost anything execpt something with peanut"

"You don't like peanut?"

"More like I allergic to it" he looks surprised, and I didn't motice that he already closes his books, meaning he didn't want to read anymore, meaning he just want to talk to me. "Is it bad?"

"No, I can still eat it, but if it's too much I get itchy all over"

"Have you seen a doctor?" He looks worried now, his eyes is fixated on mine as I answered his question. "No, but one of our neighbours is a nurse, she checked on me and said it was alright. And it wasn't fatal"

"How about tomorrow we go to the doctor?" I looked at him quizzically, furrowed my eyebrows and wait for him to explain. "To check about your allergies"

"I think it is alright, we don't have to"

"No, I think we have to, so it won't get worse if you accidentally eat lots of peanuts" there's no point to arguing this with him, I don't like to argue either so I said yes.

"So, you like anything other than peanuts?"

"Yeah, and I don't really like spicy"

"I noticed" I look at him, really he noticed? When? Just when I'm about to ask when did he notice I don't like spicy he already answered. "When we first have a dinner, mom made a spicy food, you gulped a lot of water and you're sweating"

So he is watching me at that time, I thought no one noticed that. "I am not getting used to eat spicy, in the orphanage, we rarely have something spicy, we cooked for everyone, most of them is a kid, so... Yeah"

"I like takoyaki, ice cream, chocolate, cheesecake, and there are so many more" he is looking intently when I talked, putting all his attention to me. "How about sushi?"

"I don't really fancy the uncooked one, I prefer cooked sushi"

"You like sushi?" I ask him back, maybe I don't have to think about what should I ask him, maybe I can just ask him back whatever question he asked me. "Yeah I did. I like all kinds of sushi"

"Uh, I wanted to ask about something"

"Just ask it, I will answer" should I ask? Will it be weird if I ask? "So you work almost like an FBI?"

"Well, yes you can put it like that"

"What do you do? I mean, you said almost like FBI means not entirely like FBI, am I wrong?" He smiles at me, I expect the worse, since Mikoto rarely talks about his husband and sons occupation. "It is the same, but the difference is we work secretly, like very confidential. That's why mom hardly talks about it. And if there's some case that the police can't fix then the case will be given to us. We protected the nations too. We're like an FBI combined with an Army"

"That's why mom tell you not to tell anyone, because it really confidential. I'm sorry, I hope you understand" His eyes says it all, he looks like he is guilty, he shouldn't feel like that, this work made him to hide his occupation, it's not his fault. And his job is to protected the nations, it is a really gallant thing to do. "Of course I understand, don't worry I won't tell anyone" I smiled at him.

I can hear that the library's door is being opened, seconds later there's Mikoto appeared. "I'm so sorry to interrupt, but your gifts are already arrived" I looked at Itachi, maybe it's his gift Mikoto is talking about. "It's yours too" Now I'm confused.

"Alright, come on you should opened it" Mikoto leaves library, but I still sitting while looking at her back. Itachi walks into me and give me a bookmark. "This, you should mark it" he gives me a bookmark, it literally is a cute one because it has a turtle picture on it, not just one, there are many. "Thank you"

"It takes some time to finally unloading it from the truck, but thankfully they can do it" I look at the direction where Mikoto is looking, there are so many presents wrapped in colorful wrapper. They are piling until it almost reached the walls. When I think I already seen all of them, turned out I was wrong, some of the present is still in the living room, we're now in the family room, and it is full of presents.

"This is a lot" I don't expect the presents to be this many. "That's why you should start it now"

"I don't know where to start" I said and Mikoto led me and Itachi to the couch, we sit and she gives me a yellow box with a ribbons on it. "Maybe you should start with mine, this is from me and Fugaku"

"Thank you" she smiles, her eyes are on me, looking really excited to see me open the present. I untie red ribbon and open the lid, there are two things inside, a key and a paper. I take both of them and see that it is a voucher to buy a furniture in a shop that I never heard before. I look at the key, as far as I know Itachis's house isn't fully finished yet. "That's a car's key"

"Uh... Okay?" I give it to Itachi, but he refused. "I already have two cars, I don't intend to get one more yet"

"Wait" It is for me then? "For me?"

"Yes"

"I don't even know how to drive, I'm sorry, but I think it suits you even better" I give the key to her, a car is too much. She refused to take it, now the key is still in my hand. "It doesn't matter, you can learn it with your new car, you don't need to feel bad about this, you are my daughter it's normal for a parents to give a present for their daughter, especially on her special day" She hold my hand reassuringly, she is such a good mother. Like usual I can't say no to her. "Once again, thank you"

"Oh, I just remembered, where's Sakura?"

"She already left with Sasuke. Don't think about that, it's time for you to opened the gifts"

I randomly pick another box and open it, I do it quickly so I have time to open other gifts, I wonder if we can open all the gifts today. "It is from Ino. I thought she doesn't give a wedding gift anymore since she's already make the flowers in our wedding are free"

"Oh! It is a flower" It's a bouquet of white roses and it has a beautiful glass vase with intricate flower design around it. So classy.

"There's a note" Itachis says as he opened it. "Congratulations on your wedding! I hope I can be an aunty soon!"

"This really sounds like Ino" Itachi put the notes down as if there is nothing happened. I didn't dare look at him and Mikoto after the aunty part.

"This is from Tsunade-sama" I opened it and found a big note on it. I read it aloud "Congratulations! I can't think of another give, but I'm sure this is the right gift for you!"

"I think it's a dress" I pick it up and regret it immediately, it's not a dress, it's lingerie. It is black with lace barely cover anything, there's still something at the box that I'm sure will make me die in embarrassment. Mikoto giggling while Itachi cough, I put the gift back and close it. Quickly trying to pick another one to make everyone forget about Tsunade-sama gift. My face is hot, I know me to well that it must be red, I don't need to check it on the mirror.

"It is from Daisuke, he is your friends?" I never heard that name before, and probably more than half of the gifts is from someone I don't know. Itachi nodded and I give the box to him, he opened it and there's an elephant figure made from porcelain, it's gleaming on every corner. It's bigger than my hands, the perfect size for decoration. "This is limited edition"

"Really?" He looks like he did not surprise at all. "Yeah, 3 out of 100" he shows the label to me which written on the foot of the elephant. My conjecture was right, Uchiha's friend is mostly rich.

"This is from Shisui" Itachi opened it, I waited for him to show me what's inside because he looks excited to receive a gift from his bestfriend. As soon as he opened it, he close the lids back, then put it as far as his hands let him. "What's inside?"

"The gift is too bad, you couldn't stand looking at it, trust me" Is it just me or his face looks a little red? I look at him quizzically, he feigning a cough and try to look normal. "But it's a gift, I mean we should accept it"

"We just accept it"

"Can I please look at it?"

"It's better not to" I'm feeling curious what's inside, I'm dying to know. What is he hiding? "Then tell me what's inside"

"It's not necessarily" Why is he so persistent? I look at Mikoto with a look asking for a help from her. "I leave both of you alone to solving your problem" With that she leaves.

"Is it that bad until you don't want to tell me?"

"It is" I huffed in defeat, seems like I'm not going to know what's inside. I choose to ignore it and opened the next box, maybe I will look at what's inside when he's not around, I glance at the box. It is a purple box with no ribbon, just plain purple box.

"It is from Hana nee-chan" I open it and found some kind of weapon? Why would she give me a weapon?

'Maybe you don't need it now, but someday you will. Happy wedding my sister! Love you!'

Ps: this weapon held a magnetic power, to put it simple it is a magnets, so better make it far from any iron.

2nd Ps: I don't know what will Kakashi give, but he insist to separate our gifts. I'm sorry if his gift is bad:)

Hana is literally kind, she is Kakashi's wife and always been nice to me since we first met. In the box there's also a long card written "A Lifetime Voucher to Talk About Your Problem with Me" Hana is a psychologist so this means she will make time for us to talk about it with her free.

"Look, she also give us this" I show the card to Itachi as he laugh. "Yeah, this is really useful" he is talking about the card, but his eyes is on the weapon in my lap or he is talking about the weapon?

"I wonder what Kakashi give to us" Itachi says as he looking for a gift from Kakashi. I continue to open another gift that I can reach. This one is from Choji, I opened it and found a voucher to eat on a high class restaurant for two people. "Choji gives us a restaurant voucher"

"Yeah, he gives Kakashi that voucher too"

"This one is from Kakashi" Itachi open the lids and he close it again. "What is it?"

"It is the same with Shisui, it's not necessarily" Is the gift really that bad?

"Tell me, what is it?" I know he won't tell, but at least I try. "It's bad"

"Then you just going to put that on the box forever?" As I already guess he said yes. Is Shisui and Kakashi's gift is somehow connected? "Which one is worse?"

"Both of them in the same league"

"Alright" I sighed if he's not going to tell me. I opened another one then another then another, I think we're not going to open all of this today, and where we put all of this? Especially the box, it's just too pretty to dump it. Itachi's room is big, but even if it can, there will be no more space for us to move. To be honest, I am impressed, some of the people give us a chair or a desk, which I didn't expect at all.

I opened one of the box, it's written there that it is from Mighty Guy & Rock Lee. It is heavy, and I sense something's moving inside.

"Ahh" I scream as I opened it, it's a food thing I put it in a table, or else it would have fallen because I was too surprised. Who puts an alive chicken in a wedding gift?

"Kiyoko? What's wrong?"

"Your friends give us an alive chicken"

"From Mighty Guy and Rock Lee?"

"Yeah, so they tell you they're going to give us a chicken?"

"No, I don't have a friends whose more... Unique than them. So, I know it must be them" I wonder what this unique means, maybe eccentric?

"There's a barbell too, and a note 'This is an equipment to increase your endurance'"

"Uhm.. Are your friends bodybuilder?"

"Nope, just don't think about that" Itachi opened the next gift, and pulled out a letter inside the box. "It's two plane tickets along with a hotel voucher"

"Really? Where?"

"Italy" Amazing! Whoever sent this must be a close relatives to Uchiha, until he give us an expensive gift like this.

"It's from my superior"

"Please tell him thank you from me"

"I will"

"When is the date?"

"August 29th"

"That's six months from now"

"Yeah, looks like we have to wait for six months"

I can't believe we finish opening the present today, it is almost midnight by the time we finish opened all the gifts plus we finally load the box to other room in this house. We also collect the same kind of gifts on a box so it will be easier to use them. All of them is very useful, there's a lot of vouchers, start from hotel, restaurants, and shopping. Looks like we don't have to buy tools and furniture for our new house by ourselves since we have vouchers to fill a furniture in our house.

Not just a gifts, they also give us some money I couldn't imagine I have. The amount of money is just... Wow. Even if we devide it for the two of us it's still a lot. Fugaku is still not home yet, Mikoto says he is working so this means Itachi will be like this too? Then I will be home by myself like Mikoto, well I think I'll get use to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So in the box Tsunade is giving her a garter belt, also Shisui and Kakashi's gift will be revealed on the next chapter. This story also going on a slow plot, sorry for grammatical error. See you next time!


	5. Chapter 4

Being an ANBU is the same as other job, it has some profit also difficulties. This is the difficulties that I talked about, even if they say I have a day off for a week, if something came up I still have to go to work. I just spend one day off, now I am ready to go to work. They say it is important, I want to come quickly so it will be finished soon. I feel bad to Kiyoko for leaving her, but hopefully she won't be mad, not that I ever seen her mad, but maybe she's going to be upset not mad.

She sleeps next to me, yet she is on the edge of the bed, she is shy, I can tell, that's why she sleeps far away from me. She is on her back while a comforter covers her until her chin, her eyes are closed, unlike the first night now she braids her hair. Yesterday when she was sleeping I caressing her hair in order to straighten it, or is it just me who wants to touch it? Her hair is the softest hair I've ever touched, I accidentally touch her face, her skin is smooth, the delicate of her skin draw my hands to touch it again.

Now, my hands are itching to do that, but I push the thought and go out of the bedroom. "Mom?" Well maybe she's not wake up yet, it's still to early, I guess I just go now then. I'll text her later. I climb on my motorcycle and wearing jackets plus helmet. There's no need to use a car if I'm alone and motorcycle is much faster.

While I'm on my way I'm thinking about Kiyoko, I know her for like four years, I rarely seen her, due to my mission, but at the time we met she literally is nice, polite, shy, pretty, the kind of girl your mom wants for a daughter in law. It's not like I don't like her, she is so kind, it's hard for everyone to despise her, I feel the attraction, but I still think it's not enough. I am working to get her close to me, also trying to make me fall in love with her, And make her fall in love with me.

When I agreed to marry her, I really want to make this work, she is nice I like my woman to be nice, she is kind, well nobody wants his wife to be evil, she is polite, my parents would never allow me to marry a rude person, she is pretty, a nice thing to look at when you first open your eyes in the morning, she may not be a genius, but her other skills sure are great, she can paint beautifully just like her own being, she can cook, one time I told a joke to Kakashi that her cooking is great I will make her my wife, now it's really happening. She understands sign language too, and she definitely know how to cleaning and nursing a kids since there are a lot of kids in the orphanage. She has a dark brown hair, brown eyes, stop it Itachi. They are different.

I don't know if she loves me or not, but I can see she is trying to make this work too, I'm married, and married is forever. That's why I try to love her, I can't lie that her face is one of the reasons that I don't give up yet. Men fall in love through the eyes, women fall in love through the ears.

I know she is a shy person, everytime we got close her face will be all red, she will averting her eyes and she will be clumsy afterwards. I think she's kinda like me right now? I don't know usually women blush when they're around a person that they like? I should ask Hana about that later.

It has been six years, it's not as hurt as before, guess everyone is right, time heals. But it still there, I can feel it, well time heals, but never forget.

I parked my motorcycle, put the helmet, and go to the bureau, or should I say headquarter? It looks like usual office from the outside, when you get inside it still usual, but once you go deeper, you will find something else. I entered the elevator and go up, I wonder what this important news is. I arrive at 23rd floors and go straight our office is sure hard to enter. I insert my fingerprint and go inside, there's a room to scan our entire body, if it matches then we can get in, if it's not then the alarm will be ticked on. And now this is my office. When I walked passed people stop and congratulate me for my wedding, I smiled and say thank you to each of them.

"Itachi!" That's Minato, our leader. He has a blonde hair and blue eyes, the kind of guy whose a girl called DILF. Not only handsome, he is also smart, kind, sweet, and caring. "Minato sama"

"Congratulations on your wedding! I'm sorry I have to make you come today, but there's something important we need to tell"

"It's okay, I understand, and thank you for the gift" Minato's family give us a waffle maker, and an apron. "Ahh, I'm glad you like it"

"So, what is the important news?"

"We're going to have a meeting, we need to wait for a moment until everybody come"

"Alright, I'll wait on the meeting room"

I walk through the meeting room, thought that maybe lots of people already there, when I opened the door, there are just three people. First, I see Naruto sleeping with his arms as a pillow, he is drooling on the table, and I can hear him snoring. I'm sure Kushina dragged him to get here and Naruto still sleepy so he continued his sleep here. Then, I see Kakashi and Shisui. Kakashi is reading his book, I'm sure he already read it more than ten times already since he is always holding that book. Shisui put his foot on the table while making a balloon with his gum, his hands is at the back of his head, he is looking at the ceiling.

"Kakashi senpai! Shisui! What a coincidence to meet the two of you right now!"

"Drop the senpai. What's with the spirit?" Kakashi turned his attention a little from his book. "You're welcome Itachi, you're welcome"

Seems like Shisui already know what topic that I want to bring about. The wedding gifts. "Shisui! Your gift it's absolutely insane. What did you thinking?"

"And Kakashi senpai! You too! Your gift is as insane as Shisui!"

"Drop the senpai, I wonder what Shisui gift is" Kakashi eyed Shisui, Shisui full attention is now on this conversation. "Mine is sex toys, what's yours?"

"Shisui! That's..." Kakashi looks shocked for a moment, he eyed Shisui, then me, then Shisui again. "Brilliant! Why didn't you give me one when I got married?"

These two are undeniably insane, it's about time I'm going insane too while I'm with them. Shisui looks more than happy to have this conversation with Kakashi. "I know right? But I already give you the book on your wedding!"

"Ahh right, that's great too"

"What is your gift then?"

"I give him a couple of books, it's about position when having sexual intercourse and well all of them is basically about having sex"

"That's brilliant too! I hope you give me one on my wedding day" Both of them bump their fist, looks happy. "Okay, I have to confirm something here" I sit down with them, their attention is now on me. "First, Shisui, Kiyoko is not that kind of girl that likes kinky sex like you. She is shy, she spent her entire life in orphanage so I'm sure she's not that kind of girl. I even sure she doesn't know what kinky means. So, there's no point to give me that kind of gift"

"And Kakashi, she loves books, but not that kind of book"

"Trust me Itachi, a girl whose shy is the kinkiest of all. At first, she doesn't know, but if you try it she will get excited and want it again and again"

"Shisui, right now you aren't get beaten because your my friend"

"Aw, you love me that much didn't you?"

"That's the point Itachi, she doesn't know anything, she loves to read, that's why she needs my book to learn and to do the things that Shisui just asked. We help you, right Shisui?" They bumped their fist again, I put my hand on my face. It is pointless to tell them this, they won't understand. I just have to keep the gift hidden from Kiyoko.

I just remember I haven't told mom yet I go to work, I stand up and take my phone as I dial mom's number. She picked up after the first ring. "Hello?"

"Hello, mom I'm sorry for not waking you up, I'm on the office right now. Something came up so I have to attend"

"It's fine, you haven't told Kiyoko, have you?" She must be wake up right now, probably helping mom with cooking. "Yeah, I haven't"

"You should call her Itachi, she is your wife"

"Alright, oh and yesterday I talked to her, she has an alergy to peanut so I told her today I'm going to take her to hospital, but it seems like this problem will take a while, could you please take her to the hospital?"

"Of course, don't forget to call her"

"I will, thank you mom"

"You're welcome" she ended the line, now I have to call Kiyoko. Alright I can do this, I can talk in a room full of people with confidence, this should be easy, I'm alone now, no one here, she can't see me, I can't see her. I dialed her number.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Kiyoko it's me. I'm sorry I suddenly gone. I have things to do, there's something happen so I have to go"

"It's alright, I understand"

"And I think I can't take you to the doctor today, so I asked mom instead. Is that alright?" I feel bad about this, but I don't know this is going to happen. Is she going to be mad?

"Yeah, it's alright"

"Well, okay then" Then there's silence, she isn't hang up, neither do I. "Okay, I have to go now, bye"

"Bye" and then she hang up. I think about this, me and her, we are close, but she till shy and I don't know a lot about her, with me being work and have a little time to chat, we need a lot of time tu build our relationship.

"Itachi" That's Naruto, I can see now he is wake up. He still has some spittle on his cheek, he comes at me, eyes still barely open. I guess his sleep here isn't enough. "The meeting almost begin, come quick so we can end it immediately and I can continue my sleep" I followed him, yeah I want this to end quickly too.

"Alright, thank you for coming here, I really appreciate that. So, I'm just going to tell you that Nii Yugito the host of Matatabi is dead last night" Another Jinchuriiki's problem?

"We just received the news this morning, they say that it is just a usual death, caused by a car accident"

"It is unusual, but they refused to give us a detail" Minato hands the paper to us, it's the picture of Yugito on a car accident, blood everywhere, her blonde hair has some red blood on it, she is on her car. From the look of it she crashed with a big tree, her front glass is shattered, some of it embed on her arms.

"What is unusual?" Kakashi asked Minato, he is assiduous as always. "Nii Yugito can control her biju, if she's hurt then Matatabi chakra can heal her, but strangely she's not"

"You already asked about that from the Raikage?"

"He says Matatabi can't be completely controlled by Yugito, she can just control until the part where her bijuu won't let rampage, but even Naruto who can't yet control kyubi still can healing himself" Naruto is listening and watching his father as he talked.

"So you want us to investigate the motives of why they killed Nii Yugito?"

"I want to ask all of your opinion, should we investigate it or not, if we investigate it, there may be a connection between this incident and Gaara's, but we already agreed not to interfere on another's problem if one side said didn't need help. If we're really do this then Raikage's trust to us is going to be broken, it may not cause a cold war between us, but sure it is going to hard to ask them for a help if we need it in the future"

"But if we don't do this, we already make an agreement with government that we swore by our blood and our kin that we helped them protect this world and humankind from the danger of shinobi's world. If this incident somehow assaulted civilians we are the one who responsible for this"

"I think there's a possibility that there's connection between Nii Yugito's incident amd Gaara's" Sikaku finally talks. She is one of the most genius shinobi.

"On what pattern?"

"They took Gaara's first maybe because his bijuu is one tail, then this Nii Yugito incident happend, Matatabi is two tails, if another incident happend again the next maybe three tails" Even if we haven't found any proof, but I am agreeing with him, this can't be a coincidence that it is consecutive, isn't it?

"I agree, maybe we should notice the host of three tails, I suppose if by any chance Raikage really hide something, I think he won't harm human and if he did he should know the consequences"

"I think Shikaku and Itachi is right, now should we investigate or not?"

Everyone thinking should we or shouldn't? There's a consequence on every choice we make, which consequences that have the least negative effects on us?

"I think we should tell Raikage that if somehow he needs our help to investigate it, and make him remember that if this incident effect civilians all shinobi are in danger. With that, I think if he really hide something he will think should he hide it or should he tell us, and even if he doesn't tell us and it happens to have effect on civilians at least we can tell government we already tell him to cooperate, but he doesn't want to" Shisui idea is not bad, but still this is shinobi's problem, government wouldn't care if we already tell him or not, as long as we're shinobi and the problem that effect civilians is also caused by shinobi, all shinobi is wrong on government point of view.

"You aren't wrong, but still if it is doing by a shinobi, we still have to be responsible with it, even if the person who did it it's not from Konohagakure" Minato is sighed as he fixing his papers.

"Then I think we should investigate it, as you said if the one who responsible for the problem is shinobi, we still be dragged to it. Now, about Raikage, I think we should investigate it quitely without him knowing. I don't think there's any option for us, besides to investigate it, if we don't. I think we should know better that government will ask why wouldn't we investigate if we already know there's something weird?"

"Raikage must've known we will investigate it, there's a high possibility they already strengthening their security and make ANBU also spying or doing something to watch if we make movement or not" Kakashi is right, Now we have to think about the way to infiltrate and gaining information.

"Yes, Kakashi is right, but we gave ANBU which in their area right now, so I will tell them to investigate, but not to take risk. Thank you Genma" Minati receive a bundle of papers on his hands now.

"This is what we've got so far from Raikage, if you see anything that is weird or somehow you can see that there's something hidden please tell me, also you can all investigate it, but remember do not take risk" he handed out the report to each one of us in this room.

"Now, I will send a letter to Raikage just to reprimand him that we can help and what consequences if he hides something. You all can go except Kakashi, Itachi, and Shisui. Thank you for coming to this meeting"

Everyone goes except Minato, Kakashi, Shisui and me. I stayed on my seat, this must be a mission, I'm sure. "Now, I'm going to write a letter, I think about sending Kakashi to deliver this, but I remember I have sent him for a two weeks mission and he just got back three days ago, if I sent him Hana will go on a rampage, then....."

"Itachi is just got married two days ago and you already make him attend a meeting on his holiday. I get it, I am the only one who haven't had a wife so that's why you will choose me to deliver this. Oh my god I am so genius! That's why I'm an Uchiha"

Minato just smiled at him, every sentence that Shisui says is right, now why Minato still kept me and Kakashi here?

"Thank you for your understanding Shisui. Now, Kakashi and Itachi"

"I know that you have to spend time with your wife, but if you have time please search information or anything that might have a connection with Yugito's incident"

"We understand"

"Itachi" I turned my head to Minato. He looked at me for a moment. "Does Kiyoko already know?"

"Not yet" To be honest I think about hiding this for the rest of our lives, but somehow I am sure that someday she will know about this.

"Do you need a bodyguard for her?"

"I think no, we still live with my parents, but if I already move pr there's some situation then I let you know"

"Is the ninja tool save?"

"I believe so, Kiyoko still have it, she hasn't take all of her mother's legacy. I don't know where is it" And it supposed to be that way, isn't it?

"Alright, please keep it hidden" I nodded and he turned into Kakashi. "Kakashi, I want you to notify your team about this immediately because your team is not on a mission right now and remember that they have to be careful and not to take any risk" Kakashi nodded in understanding.

"It's just Konohagakure who cooperate with government other five great shinobi's nations choose not to cooperate. They just promised not to mean any harm to human being" Minato sighed, he gives Shisui the letter and leaned on his seat.

"That makes our responsibility getting bigger"

"Did government ask something?" Shisui who already hold the letter and almost go to deliver it stared at Minato.

"No, they glad Itachi married non-shinobi, but because we're the only one among five great shinobi's nation who helped government there are more and more problem we have to face. Other nation will help us, but if it connected with government they refuse"

"Seems like they want their freedom"

"Yeah, and our number is not as many as before, sometimes we have to delay some mission because our number is not enough" That is something that I think about too, I have so much mission lately that even I ask mom and Kiyoko to take care of things for the wedding because I was busy.

"That's a good thing they trust us, but it makes us almost have no rest at all"

"Alright, Shisui you can deliver that now. Kakashi and Itachi, please read the report and if you find anything wrong, please tell me. Now, you are dismissed"

I sit at my work space, reading through the report, nothing unusual that I can think of, except that she can't heal her wounds. If they really hide something then they did it perfectly. "You're not going home?" Without me turning my head at him I already know that voice belong to Kakashi.

"Not yet, I think it's better to read this here, and then report if there's something strange immediately. Then, I can go home and rest in peace"

"Right, but still you still have your holiday. Take it easy" he pat me on my shoulder as I continue reading the report, hoping to find something that is unusual.

At the end I don't find anything that is unusual, maybe I should read it again? But I already checked it three times. I sighed as I leaned on my chair, I look at the clock on my desk. I'm sure mom and Kiyoko already got home from hospital, I grab my jacket and go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not really sure about this chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it! Oh in this story the age difference of Kakashi and Itachi is five years. I think if I have a time I will do some edits. Thank you for reading, see you next time!:)


	6. Chapter 5

It has been four days since our marriage, and since then I got closer to Itachi, it's still a little awkward for me, but he looks relaxed everytime we talked. I'm glad he doesn't force me to do that yet, he doesn't even talking about that which makes me glad because I'm not ready yet. I know I will do that someday, but I hope he will give me more time.

Good thing I already finished all the painting so now all I do is talking with Itachi and helping Mikoto, sometimes I talk to Sasuke and Fugaku, just usual talk like how are they, what are they doing today etc.

Now I'm watching something on television, I just switch the channel continuously since they have satellite television which makes me confuse what should I watch. My phone rings. I look for it, where did I put it? I lift cushion on the couch, checking if it hidden underneath, but it didn't. Then, I realise it is on the table.

"Hello?" I didn't even look at the caller, I'm afraid he or she will hang up.

"Kiyoko-chan! I'm in hurry, but can you please deliver the painting now? So, as I planned before it should be me that pick it up tomorrow, but the party changes, it is now and I'm in hurry, I'm thinking about sending someone, but everyone is busy. So, could you please send it?" Emiko talks without breathing, she seems like she's in hurry. Yesterday is her boyfriend's birthday, she planned to celebrate it tomorrow, but I think there's a change of time.

"Where do you need it?" Eiji who's usually delivers my painting can't make it right now, he is working three times a week and today is one of them. Now who's going to deliver Emiko's painting?

"In my house before three pm" that's four hours from now. "Alright I better get going"

"Thank you! Thank you! I'm so sorry for interrupting you on your early wedding day! But thank you!"

"Yeah it's ok. If I'm on my way I'll text you" I hang up and remember the painting still in my house. Should I ask Itachi? It's a smooth way to make our relationship growing, I think I should ask. When I stand up, Itachi is also standing beside me, on his hands is a chips and a jug of water, we are planning on watching something together, so when I want to grab some snack he said he do it.

"I'm sorry, but can we continue watching later? I have somewhere to go" I feel bad telling him this, but hopefully he won't mad. I look carefully into his eyes, he is now looking at me with his sharp eyes, I search for some mad expression, already prepared myself for the worst when he puts the tray on the table. "Where do you want to go?"

"It's Emiko's house, she's my friend, because some reasons she can't pick up her painting now, so instead she asked me to do it. Usually Eiji is the one who will deliver it, but he is working three times a week and now he's working too so he can't deliver it"

"Alright, I'll take you"

"But the painting is in my house so... We have-"

"Alright I get it I'll take you there too. I'll prepare the car" From the look of his face, he doesn't looks mad, somehow I'm still not sure that he is not mad at me. I sighed, I'll make up to him later.

I change into a violet pencil dress, the hem falls on my ankle. I also used my cardigan and let my hair down. I think a little make up will do, I squirt on my perfume then grab my bag and go to the garage, looking for Itachi. He says he will prepare the car, but there are many cars. I don't know which one he uses. I walk between the cars to see if Itachi is in one of them, but the window are all black, I have to look close in order to see what's inside. I even stick my forehead into the window to see inside the car.

Good thing are all the windows is clean, none of them has a dust. I keep looking one by one, if only I know which one is Itachi's car. I huffed, don't tell me he already waiting at the gate?

I look at the blue pick up car, my head draw near to the window, I try to see what's inside, then the window slowly descend. Now, in front of my face, there's Itachi, not far than ten centimetres. My heart beats faster in my chest as if it's struggle to get loose. I am freeze, unable to move our head is so close I can even see my reflection on gis eyes. When my brain can finally function I straightened myself. "I'm sorry"

"No it's okay" I ran into the other side of the door and get inside the car. I shouldn't get that close at the window I should have been able to tell that this is the car because of the machines sound. I looked at my window, this is too embarrassing I must've look stupid. "I'm the one who should say sorry, I should let you know which car that I'm going to use. Sorry"

"It's okay" I still looking at my window, and he still hasn't started the car. "Kiyoko?"

"Yes" I can't turned my head tk him, I'm still embarrassed. "Kiyoko?"

"Yes?" I finally looked at him, not literally looked since I averted his eyes, I'm looking at his hands on the steering wheel. "Seatbelt"

I quickly put on my seatbelt, my brain still trying to processing all of this until I don't remember putting my seatbelt on. "Sorry"

"You don't have to say sorry all the time"

"Sor-" I quickly stopped talking, is he annoyed with me right now?

The car start moving as the gate opened itself, I leaned on my seat, and playing with my hands, examine my nails and looking at the window. Not even once that I look at Itachi's side. "So this is your friend from college?"

"Yes"

"Why didn't she draw it herself then?"

"She has business major, but we're on the same college"

"You like to hangout with her?"

"Yeah, she's nice"

"Kiyoko?" No one calls me like him, his voice os always soft everytime he talks to me, his voice is deep and calm. It feels good to hear him mention my name.

"Yeah?"

"You don't have to feel awkward or uncomfortable around me"

"Sorry"

"You don't have to say or feel sorry because you're not wrong"

"I still get used to.... all of this" Is he mad?

"You look so tense everytime you're around me. Just relax, I won't bite" I can hear him mumbling something after that, is it something about me? "Excuse me?"

"Huh?" Itachi look at me for a second and then back to the road again. "You're saying something after I won't bite, but I couldn't catch what you're saying"

"Ahh, I'm just saying that I won't bite, unless it's a food" I nodded my head slowly.

"In my orphanage there's no boys, neither in school" I take a quick glance at him, to see his expression, he is listening to me while driving. "How about in college?"

"There are boys, but I don't really close with them" Most of them were bad, The kind of boys whose good looking and just bad.

"Ahh, I understand"

"Are you cold?" Itachi's hand head into the heater already prepare to turn it on. "No, I'm fine"

"Sorry, you look.... a little pale so I thought.."

"Yeah I always look pale, not only you who thought like that, everyone thought like that. You mother too"

"She's your mother too you know. She's our mother" I smiled at him. "It's good to finally have a mother"

"We're here" we already arrived at my house, it's just a few days, but I already missed it. I run for the door and looking for my key on my bag. I opened it and the first second I opened it I already smell an apple fragrance. The house still clean despite me being absent, maybe because I just gone for four days. "Come in"

Itachi comes in and close the door, he is so tall until he almost reach the top of the doors. He looks around examining my house, well soon enough it won't be my house anymore, because the rent is over at the end of a month. I haven't start packing up, except for my clothes. I'm thinking about rent ut for one month or so until the house is ready, so I won't have to moving my things twice.

"Do you want something? Tea? Coffee?" His eyes moved around, then it landed on me. "No thank you"

"Please sit down" I walk into my room because it's the only room available in this house, this is where I keep my painting. I walked in, there are many paintings. Some of them is private and some other is an order. I put the paintings at the corner, near the window, I put a white sheer fabric on all of them, so it won't be dirty. I still remember that Emiko's painting is at the opposite corner, I put it on the front because I arrange it from the time the painting will be given. I know it's Emiko's painting, but I just want to see it so I opened the fabric and see it.

"It's pretty" I turned my head and see Itachi leaned on the threshold with his arms crossed. He is so handsome I almost drooling. I smiled "Thank you"

"Why is it an elephant?"

"Well, Emiko's boyfriend loves elephant, he even visited Bangkok numerous time and buy lots of elephants souvenir. So.... Elephant" I close the painting with white fabric then lift it.

"Do you have favorite pet?"

"Otter"

"I always want to have an otter, but someone says they a little wild so I decided not to adopt it" I bring the painting, but Itachi snatched it. "Let me"

"No, it's okay. You can bring the others"

"No, I'll carry them all, you just sit and look pretty" with that he left, he never uttered a word that hurt me or offended me, his words is just.... Sweet. Sometimes I wonder if he literally like me, but I don't want to get my hope to high, maybe not yet, maybe someday. Without realising I just standing there until he picks up another painting. "Thank you"

"Don't mention it" I decided to make a lemon tea for him. I can see that he is done loading the painting and sit on the couch, he is not even tired, he looks usual, as if he just sitting there from the beginning. I put the tray in front of him, on the table, then give him a glass of lemon tea.

"Thank you. You must be tired"

"Thanks, no it's not tiring at all" he sips the lemon tea and I can tell from his expression that he likes it. He gulped it until it almost empty. He takes a breath, then gulped it until the glass is just an ice cube and lemon.

"This is literally good, I love it. Can I...?" Without him finishing his words I take his glass and refill it.

"Alright I think we should go deliver the painting" He says after drinking three glasses of lemon tea. I wash the glass and then go to the car with him.

In fifteen minutes we arrived at Emiko's house. Her house is now filled with decorations, balloons, with chairs and barbecue grill, and of course there are lots of elephants. Itachi bring the painting and walk with me into the house, before I get to the front porch, Emiko greeted me with the smile on her face. She hugs her, then greeted Itachi. "Hi Itachi! Nice to meet you again. I am sorry I bothered you and Kiyoko"

"It's alright"

"Ahh this is the painting?" I nodded, Itachi gives it to her, she looks at it in awed and tilt it to one side then the other. "Thank you! This is amazing!"

"You can joined the party"

"I think we're going home"

"Ahh, it's okay I understand" Itachi and me says our goodbyes and heading to the car, is he mad? We talked in the car, even it just a little chat. After a long way we finally reached the house, I opened the car door and went inside the house, on the living room there's Sasuke playing games, he seems to engrossed with his game until he doesn't realise I'm here. Itachi already unload all the painting in our room, after that he goes to the living room.

"Ahh Sasuke, still playing that game?" Itachi sits beside Sasuke, looking at his brother who looks really serious. His hands gripped the joystick while his fingers dancing on it. Sasuke didn't even glance at his brother, as he continues to play the game. After a few minutes, Sasuke yelled in excitement, he smiles evilly to his brother and throw the joystick beside him. "Finally I beat your score"

"Ahh, I'm sure I can beat you" Sasuke smirked, he is sure his brother can't beat him this time. "Really? You want to try now?" Sasuke raised his eyebrows changeling his older brother. "Nah, maybe next time" He poked Sasuke's forehead, Sasuke hold his forehead while making sour faces. How fun it is to have a sibling.

Dinner time, after preparing lots of delicious food with Mikoto, we finally sit on the dining room. There are Fugaku on the left chair, on his askew there's Mikoto, beside Mikoto there is me, and beside me there's Itachi. In front of Mikoto there's Sasuke, beside him is his fiancé, Sakura. We eat in silence until Fugaku opened up the topic.

"So, I've heard from Itachi that you just delivered the painting this afternoon" I don't need him to say my name to know that he is talking to me, I look at his direction and smiled. "Yeah, usually I have someone who will deliver it, but he can't deliver it today, the painting is supposed to be deliver for tomorrow, but there's a change of plans"

"Do you bring your painting with you?"

"Yeah, I think it will be better to bring them here, but don't worry it won't take a lot of space"

"No, I just thinking that we should give you a room for you and your painting, so you will be focused on your painting, and you can save the painting in that room too, I mean it's okay if you want to hung your painting, I will gladly accept that" Mikoto who is beside me hold her laugh, I look at her quizzically, wondering in my mind why did she laugh?

"Is that a way to ask for a free painting?" All of the people in the dining table laugh, including Fugaku, he is laughing now, it feels weird to loo see him laughing because his face always looks gloomy, no I mean strict, but I think it's gloomy too. I am laughing with them, covering my mouth as I look into Itachi, he is laughing while looking at his dad, his deep voice continue ringing on my ears until Fugaku tell them to stop becuse he js embarrassed.

"Alright, it's enough, I just want you to know the room near the backyard, the one which has a curtain is yours, you can put all your paintings there. And I don't mind relly, if you want to hung the painting" I really don't know Fugaku can be like this.

"Thank you, but you don't have to, I-"

"No, of course I have to, I am your father" So if you have a family you can eat together like this, they can talk about anything and make a joke. They can even give you a present like Fugaku just did. The food is delicious and there's this feeling on my chest that it is so comfortable and I feel happy, I just know that this situation is the situation that everyone describe about. It is warm, like a blanket covering your body, like you sit beside a fireplace on a winter night.

I look at Fugaku in the eyes and cried, this is so incredible, I thought he already give me a present and now he is giving me more, I feel bad feel like I burden him, but I can't lie that I'm happy too, I'm really excited to start working ln that room. "Thank you"

"Oh you don't have to be like that, relax" Fugaku looks confused as Mikoto caressing my back, I cupped my face as I can feel Itachi's hand on my shoulder, patting me. I'm trying to hold my tears so we can continue to eat. Having a father is really fun.

"Thank you"

"Yeah, don't mention it" Fugaku scratched the back of his head, he looks confused like he doesn't know what to do in a time like this. I smiled at him and wipe away my tears.

Fugaku smiled, like really smiling, I am surprised, but I should have known that even him has a soft side. Itachi's hands is now off of me, I don't like to men touching me. I despise that, but since I know I will married Itachi I kind of force myself to accept being touch with him, I tensed for a moment when his hands touched my shoulder, I hope he doesn't notice that.

"Sasuke, Sakura, how about your wedding preparations?" I continue eating while they are talking about it. Sasuke and Sakura's faces light up when Fugake bring the topic, they smiled shyly, looking at each other. "It's good so far, but I still have a lot to think of"

"Ahh, you still argue about things, don't you?" Itachi looks evily at Sasuke, seems like he knows something we don't. "Itachi" Sasuke says menacingly, his eyes are sharper than a second ago.

"Argue about what?" Fugake starts to take an interest to the topic they were talking about.

"Arguing about-" Sasuke cuts Itachi's sentence. "Nothing"

"Really?"

"About the design of the wedding invitation" Sakura finally speaks up. "I think it should be in pink"

"I think it should be neutral, like red?" Fugaku laughs once again, Mikoto just smiles and I look at Sasuke and Sakura, they just avoiding each other's eyes. "Yeah, it's normal to have a little argument before the wedding, you'll get through it"

"Sakura, I just remember Hotaru says she can met us on monday" Sakura faces who looks like a little grumpy turned bright after she hears Mikoto. "Ah, finally"

"I really want to have that Dango on my wedding" Sakura turned into me and I smiled. "Yeah, that's really delicious" itachi's says as I smiled. He really loves Dangos. We continue to talk while eating, now we're eating desserts.

"Ah, I just remember. Kiyoko, when I'm at my duty I found some kids that didn't have a house, I am thinking of putting them on your former orphanage. It's a good orphanage, isn't?"

"Yes it is, but I think it's already a little overload now. So, I'm afraid they will be....you know busy so they can't fully take care of the children" I don't have a reason other than that. I don't even know gow many kids are in orphanage now, guess I have to lie a little.

"Really? Ahh, guess I have to search for another orphanage, but I have bo choice other than put the kids on your orphanage first, because we all don't know another orphanage. Maybe after a few weeks, they will left"

"I volunteer to search for the orphanage"

"You will?" Fugaku seems a little taken aback, but quickly hide it.

"Yes, it's fine" As long as they won't enter my former orphanage that's okay. Yuriko Orphanage is excellent, but it's still a little too much.

It was named Yuriko because it's the name of Mother Midori's sister, she is dead long time afo. That's why she named the orphanage after her sister's name, because she loves her so much. Yuriko means "hundred-perfect-child" that's why Mother Midori wants everyone to be perfect, like the name of the orphanage. Our orphanage is really famous, maybe that's the reason why Fugaku chose our orphanage. So many couple taking more than one child from our orphanage, in our orphanage they teach us a lot of things. From music, sports, until first aid training. Our formal education is being funded by a company which gives monthly charity in on of the best school. Making all the couple sure that we are smart and good at other things abeside study, and also polite too. Little did they know, we didn't achieve all of that in one day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am back to the college so that's why an update will be a little long. I hope I'll see you soon!


	7. Chapter 6

I am on the car with Itachi, this is the last day of his holiday. Well, barely holiday, because on that week the day after after the dinner with Uchihas, Itachi is being called again, and so for the next days and we just have a time to search for the orphanage now. He is not in the office full day, maybe just two or three hours, but still. I am start to sound like a bitchy girlfriend, but I just hope he can be at home longer.

Everyday when we're about to sleep, I'm always afraid if he did something. I am being comfortable around him, but that doesn't mean I'm already cool with touching him. It's not like he did something dirty or forced me to do something, he just pat my shoulder, or lightly touch my back to led me somewhere, it just happend once, but I still feel uncomfortable with that. I think he notice that too, because after that he never touch me.

I feel bad, but I can't help but getting tense and start to feel scared. When we're about to sleep, I will positioned myself on the very edge side of the bed, I realise that I could fall, but I am more afraid if he touched me. He never asked why I get tense when he touched me, or why I sleep on the very edge of the bed, which I'm glad, I want to talk to him about that, but I'm just not ready yet. When will I be ready? I don't know.

Is he going to cheat on me? I know we have been married just for a week, but I mean in the future? Every man has his needs, if I don't give it to him then... It's my fault. The only way to fix this is for me to be brave enough to let him touch me. I have more time for that, but maybe he doesn't want to wait too long.

When he touched me, or any man did, even if it just a small contact, like our hand accidentally touching. I will get tense, it is really uncomfortable for me, I will quickly pull my hands like I touch something scorching. Maybe I should start with holding hands with him? So slowly I will getting used to him touching me, it will look weird if we keep our distance. I don't really often touching people too, but if my close friends touching me then I won't mind. They are all women.

I was thinking too much until I didn't realise Itachi is calling my name "Kiyoko?" I turned my head to him, he is already looking at me with worry. "Yes?"

"Are you feeling unwell or something?"

"No, I'm fine"

"Really? I've been calling your name a couple of times. If you are not feeling well then we can go back"

"No, I'm literally fine" There is only silence after that, I was too buay with thinking about how to get accustomed to him touching me and he was too busy with driving. None of us want to start a conversation, should I? Talk about what? Maybe he doesn't start a conversation because he doesn't want to talk at this moment. Maybe I should keep silent? Maybe I should talk and if he answer with short answer I won't ask anymore?

"So you start workinng tomorrow, right?" I played with the seatbelt, I peek at him to see his reaction, he smiles a little while answering. "Yes, I am. Why?"

"At what time did you usually go to work?" His eyes are on the road, but I know he is taking a glimpse of me. "Well, it depends, but tomorrow I will leave at eight"

"You need someone to deliver the painting?"

"No, I already have Eiji to do that"

"I just want to ask" I look at my mirror, it's really black, I'm sure that people from outside can't see what's inside. I don't utter a single word after that, I keep looking outside, the view consist huge mansion and big intricate gates. There is almost no one who walk on this street, if there is, it is someone who deliver things or a post mail man. Maybe people here is too busy working even if on Sunday.

"Kiyoko?" His voice is soft as a fluffy blanket. I turned my head to him, his hand is on steering wheel, he is wearing watch on his left hand. Why is a guy so cool with a watch? "Yes?"

"Where are we going? I know a bit of orphanage, but don't know which one is a good one" Ah, right we're here to search for orphanage.

"Uhm, the closest one is ten kilometres from here, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo-to 100-6390"

"Alright" The car ride is silent, he sometimes ask about my painting job, like when did I start, how much is the painting, who's my favourite painter, all of them is about painting. And now we already arrived on the orphanage, it looks good from the outside. Children are running around, some of them is on the slide, sling, or on the grass playing with their toys. Seems like everyone noticed our arrival, every eyes turned into the car with curiosity.

The outside house is mostly green, the thick tree with some bush around it. Some of the kids held a picnic under the tree, they looked so happy. Like me. I suddenly remember how I was when I'm on the orphanage. I was them too, once. I held a picnic under the tree, running around chasing on another while laughing. We don't get anything if we catch them but it's still fun to chase someone.

There are some girls playing doll on the foyer, they're brush the doll's hair and talking to each other. The other kids just sleep on the grass looking at the blue sky, there are a few who really sleeping too. I was like that too. After look at the car with curiosity they now look at us with hope, I know that look, they are hoping for us to adopt them. I feel bad for letting them down, I am here to put someone on their care, to increase the people who lives here, not to decrease.

I see one of them opened the gate and walked closer to the car, he looks at my window, trying to see what's inside, his little feet tip toeing in order to make his eyes reach the height of the window. He almost fall, but he managed to hold on. He looks closer, but from his face, I know he can't see anything. The boy left the car and continue playing with his friends.

I was them too, I once play and live with my friends, got excited when someone come, no matter whoever they are I hope they adopt me. I will act sweetly so they will like me, then adopt me, everyone on the orphanage was like that. "Kiyoko?"

"Huh?" Itachi looks quizzically, but quicklu his face turned normal, he already opened his seatbelt. "You zoned out suddenly, are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yeah, I'm just asking if there's any space available and look around"

"Alright" he nodded, somehow I think he looks unsure.

Itachi and I got out from the car, then greeted by the housemother. She wears a shirt and a skirt. She welcomed as in really friendly manner, she lets us in and ask us if we want some drinks, I said no, and so Itachi. "Hi, I am Hitomi, the housemother. So, how can I help you?"

"We are looking for an orphanage for a children whose just suffered from a natural disaster" she says 'oh' and her face fell, she must be disappointed because I'm not here to adopt. "We can take a few, but no more than ten"

"Ahh, yes I understand"

She showed us what's inside the house, start from the children rooms, class room, play room, and any others. The kids peeked at us, looking really curious about what are we talking. "I bought some stuffs" I give all the stuff for kids to the housemother. She says thank you, then Itachi and I left.

I can see the kids waving into our car as we left the orphanage, some of them looked sad, I don't blame them.

We continued our journey as Itachi driving، I reply a text from a friend, then looking at a map. Are we lost? Or did he got to the wrong way? This is not the way to the next orphanage, it's exactly the opposite. "Itachi?"

"Hm?"

"Are you sure we're going to the right way?"

"I'm thinking about going to have lunch, we go to the Sun Orphanage first then after that we got to the Mai's Orphanage"

"Oh, right. Where are we eating?"

"I know a place near Sun Orphanage, they sell many kinds of of foods, but they are famous for their Barbecue"

"Alright" the silence was not awkward like before, but it's comfortable. There are people strolling outside, the streets filled with a stands kind of food. The puff of smoke can be seen in many stands, a hot foods making my mouth watered as I hold my appetite. I just realised I was hungry. I waited patiently while holding my searbelt, I don't know where this streets went, I have never been in this location, how can Itachi knows this?

"Did you often go to this streets?"

"No, I just went here a few times" I nodded in undestanding. Not long after that, we arrived at our destination, Itachi parked the car and I can see the restaurant's signed. It's written 'Family's Lunch'

I walked slowly into the entrance and Itachi opened the door for me, we walked in and seat near the window. The waitress give us the menu and wait for a moment, I look at it, and all the menu seemed delicious, which one should I choose? "I think you're the one who should order because you have been here before"

Itachi ordered and the waitress takung a note on her pad. I can see her eyes lingering on Itachi too long, she's not the only girl who does that. I am not surprised. I pretend like I don't see it and just looking around the restaurant. It is really comfortable, and it's empty now, which kinda weird because it's a lunch time, it should be full.

"It's comfortable isn't it?" Said a man with a moustache and a bald head in front of me. I gasped a little he just appeared suddenly out of nowhere."Am I startling you? Ah, I'm sorry"

"It's okay" I smiled and look at Itachi, he is also smiled to the man. "It is comfortable"

"Yeah, I know right" he sighed, his eyes is on the window too, he's looking outside, at the street. "It's comfortable, but only the two of you come here"

"It's lunch time, I'm sure people will come here eventually" He smiled at my words, but it's not a genuine smile, he forced it, I can see his sad eyes as his lips curved into a smile. "It used to be like that, but that accident happened"

"What accident?"

"The girl found dead on the junction, seems like she hits a tree"

"You mean the junction there?" I pointed at my back, the place where there's a junction me and Itachi passed before we came here. "Yes, it was the only junction in this area that has a tree"

"But it's too far from here....I think"

"Yeah, but before she got an accident she came here" I nodded, Itachi looked attentively at him, he is thinking about something. "I'm sure it's about time that your restaurant will get lots of customers again"

I smiled at him, I really hope so, because it wasn't his fault that she chose to come here before she was dead. "The strange thing is, the restaurant on the intersection far away from here, also told the police that the girl is on their restaurant before the accident happened, the day after the accident even after the week after that, the restaurant is still full, then the police told us that the girl who had accident is the girl from our restaurant not from them"

"I'm so sorry"

"But the girl used the same dress?" Itachi asked the man, he thinks for a moment then nodded, I think she is, but I'm a little forget actually"

"It's okay, maybe it means this restaurant ends here" he said with a sad face, his eyes are on the floor while he sighed, a very long one. "Is there anything that we can do to help?" Itachi opened his silence and smiled warmly at him.

"No, it's fine"

"Ah, I'm sorry to burden both of you with my personal problem, I hope you enjoy the food" he smiled for one last time, then left. Our foods arrived, and we started to eat. While eating my mind still worrying the man, I know he must be desperate, his restaurant is almost bankrupt, he tried his besst to keep it open, but he running out of tine.

'He is a good man' I thought then continue eating.

After done with our food, I told Itachi to go on first into the car, he did and I buy some foods to take home, I buy a lots actually because I intend to give them to the child at the orphanage. "You buy a lot" says the man before.

"Yeah, I want to go somewhere and there are lots of people there" I smiled then continue waiting for the food.

"Is that you boyfriend?"

"Uh, that's my husband" I said while smiling shyly at him. "Oh! Great! You both is such a lovely couple"

"Thank you, I hope you will get through all of this"

"I hope so"

-

We have arrived at the second orphanage, this one looks more vintage than the previous one, it has a swing that attach to the tree, it also have a construction that looks old. It was kinda creepy for me, but maybe it just the outside, maybe it'll look different on the inside. This time, there are no children running to our direction, it seems empty.

The gate was closes, but they didn't lock it. I walked through the front porch and press the bell, but it seems like it is broken. I knocked the door, hoping someone will hear it. After standing for a few minutes, the door finally opened, a girl with pajama and shirt looking at us quizzically.

"Hi there, I'm Kiyoko, and this is Itachi" The girl just looking at us without saying anything. "Oh I'm sorry, she is a prude. I'm the housemother, Chieko. How may I help you?"

"Uh, so I'm Kiyoko, and this is Itachi, we're both looking for an orphanage for children who lost their parents and their house due to the natural disaster"

"Oh, come in I'm sorry to keep you waiting for so long because the bell is broken"

"No, it's alright, we're not waiting that long actually"

I followed her inside the house and it is actually feel warm and the inside is not as grim as the outside, there's a couch and a table in front of it. So many chairs, but all of them is empty. 

"What can I get you? Tea? Coffee?" I declined politely I look at the house, it's clean, comfortable, but empty, I don't see any kids except the little girl that opening the door for us.

"We have something for you" said Itachi while giving them the food we bought before. "Thank you" said Chieko.

"Can I look around?"

"Of course, let me show you around" The little girl still holding to Chieko skirt, she goes everywhere Chieko goes. "What's her name?" Itachi looking curiously at the little girl, we can see the pink dress that she wears from the back and her black hair that tied in a bun, she is so cute.

"Ahh, her name is Aya, Aya, come on you should introduce yourself" Chieko tried to pry her arms from her skirt, then kneeled beside her, Aya still look down and fidgetung with her hands, me and Itachi get down on our knees, trying to match our heights with her. I can reach her level, but Itachi is still taller.

"Hi, I'm Kiyoko" I extended my hands, she looked at it for a while, thinking if she should take it or not, after contemplating she finally hold it, I gently shake my hand and smiled. "I'm Itachi"

Itachi give her his hands and she takes it, is it just me or she really is taking Itachi's hand faster than she takes mine? No wonder if Itachi has that effect on every girl.

"So most of the kids are taking a nap right now, as you can see there are not much kids here, our orphanage is lacking of children, also financial support, so yeah I think you can guess the rest" Chieko said as we walk to the kitchen, backyard and family room. Everywhere is clean, I don't see some toys scattered around.

"I teach them to always cleaning or arranging their toys if they played something" we go upstairs and see that there are many rooms.

"This is the room where everyone is sleeping" I look inside and founf the kids sleeping, there are just seven kids sleeping, this orphanage really lack on children apparently.

"There are also other room there but since there's not much of people so we put everyone in the same room" I nodded.

"Can I get your contact please?" After I have her contact, I go back to my car and so Itachi. We didn't instantly go, we discuss about the orphanage first.

"I prefer this one" said Itachi with his hand holding a steering wheel, his eyes land on me. "Yeah, me too, but we still have to look at the third orphanage"

"Do you want to go to your orphanage after this? I know it's full, but maybe you want to see how things are going" he shrugged his shoulder as his eyes moved on the road. I didn't think that's a good idea. "No, it's okay, I think our time is not enough, besides you work tomorrow"

"How was your life in the orphanage, I don't mean to be rude, it's okay if you don't want to answer this, it's fine"

"Well, it's quite fun, I had a lots of friends, we lived with our friends, and it's fun. There's still mother Midori, but there are a lot of kids there, so it feels like we just lived with our friends"

"Yeah, living with friends must be fun"

"I'm not different with the kids we saw today, I think the kids in orphanage all like that, we got so excited when people come, and so happy when they give something that's exuberant"

"Something like that" I started to enjoying our talk, I'm still a bit agitated, but he's way of talking and sensing that maybe I will be bothered by the question, his understanding is admirable.

"I'm sorry, I just remembered something" the car's speed decreased suddenly, I looked at Itachi and his expression changed. He takes a deep breath, looking into my eyes, I can see the guilt in there, he looked at me in silenced for a while. "I have something to do, it's important. I think we can go to the next orphanage on the other time"

"No, it's fine, you can drop me at the train station, it's alright"

"No, please, we can go there next time, or I can give you full information about the orphanage" Itachi started to take a detour, he's going home.

"But, I think it's okay for me to go there alone, I sometimes go by myself, and it's fine"

"No, start from today please don't go out by yourself" His eyes still looking at the road ahead him, I was a bit surprised, he looks rigid, not like the usual Itachi I know. Or maybe I don't know him at all?

"What important thing you have to do right now?"

"It's about work" I don't asked anymore about what is it, since I know it's about work he won't tell me more about it.

"I'm sorry" he says diverting his eyes from a road then looking at me. "It's okay, I understand" I didn't. I just confused, he suddenly said that he is free today, but suddenly he said he has a work to do. I already asked him a couple of times if he has some work to do today, if he did I say I can go alone, but he kept saying that he is free and he can accompanying me to search for the orphanage. Now, he suddenly said he has something important to do. He also said I can't going alone on my own anymore. It is confusing. How can I not going alone if he keep can't accompanying me? I have friends of course, but they have something to do, there's Mikoto, but do I really have to asked her constantly to accompany me? When I'm a grown up woman?

I have some flash in mind about how we are going to have our life for the next years, he suddenly off to work in a middle of something, then he left. He says he has a holiday, but turned out something happend, so the holidays get cancelled. We go somewhere then by the time we arrived we must go back because suddenly something important came up so we got home. This is just my sarcastic mind, but somehow I'm sure it'll be realistic somehow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry it took so long for me to update, college is so busy:(


	8. Chapter 7

Kiyoko is mad, I know that, this morning she prepared everything, starting from my clothes, breakfast, shoes, everything, but her face was....sad. She looked at me only when necessary, she smiles, but.. Well it's not the kind of smile that is sincere. I know she will be mad, but I have to report instantly if I found something on bijuu accident.

I actually want to investigate about bijuu accident, but I think it's a bad idea to investigate while I'm with Kiyoko, so I put the thought aside and we just eat. I'm sure it's absolutely far from where we eat to where the accident happened, but when the owner says that I know instantly he talked about Nii Yugito accident. There's no more accident after hers.

What could calmed down angry Kiyoko? No one noticed that she's mad except me, this morning mom left early and so Sasuke and father. Now she's alone in home. I think she is painting something right now. Now what?

"Itachi?" I turned my head at Minato-sama, I stand up, already prepared with my suit, we aren't wearing our attire on guarding mission, so we could blend in. I asigned to a guarding mission, I'm waiting for my partner, but he's nowhere in sight. "I think you should go now, we try to contact Hisao, but we still can't reach him. If we did, then we will tell you immediately"

"Alright" I bow my head and go to the mission. It is a mission to guard the Prime Minister, he is playing Golf with his friends, also an important people and I guard them, this is not really that important since they already have bodyguards to guard them, but this is more like a friendship job, I know they will ask about our cooperation and if there's any problem, or there will be some problem they will ask us to solved.

I walked on the pavement, they say I will meet them here, so I wait for a car to pick me up. A black car stopped in front of me the window slowly descend and a face appeared, it's the Prime Minister himself. I bowed in respect, he smiles and let me in. I sit beside him and we leave.

He talked about the weather, he's glad it's sunny today, so he could play Golf. "I am so sorry, Uchiha Hisao can't make it, it seems like something happened to him, so I was asigned on this mission alone, I'm sure he didn't do this intentionally, he must have a reason, on behalf of him I profoundly apologise. I hope you still can trust us, we will try our best to prevent something like this happend again in the future"

"You must know that I will forgive you" I lift my head and looked at him, he smiles. "We try to maintain peace, if we ended our friendship here theres a high possibility that you will attack us, if that happend we both know you will win, a small matter like this won't harm our friendship, I can assure you, but it's not just that, even though we're different we still can understand each other. I totally fine with just you accompanying me, it's The Mighty Itachi we'll talking about"

I wave my hand back and forth with palm forward in front of my face "No, I'm not like that"

"Well we stick to the Itachi of the Sharingan then"

-

We arrived at the Golf course, the Prime Minister greeted his friends and started to play Golf. I waited with other bodyguards while they are playing. I didn't sense anything weird until now, so I guess everything's fine, but I need to stay alert. "I never seen you before"

The guy a little shorter than me started to talk, he has a bulging arms, like literally bulging. "I am new"

"They're going to play Golf for like fifteen minutes, then one of them is going to have some business to attend to, and they will go by themselves. Trust me, it's always happend"

About thirty minutes it did happend, one of the had a phone call, and they all go. I said my goodbyes to the bodyguard who talked to me before and left for lunch. He picked some expensive looking restaurant which has a really good room, it's really private. We started to eat, his other bodyguards is waiting outside.

"You must know that I ask for your guard so I could talk about something" I paused eating and put down my chopsticks.

"You know the Akihiko's case, right?" I nodded. "It's a good thing that it doesn't appear on media, but until now it haven't been solved"

It is a big scandal if public knows, it will be a chaps. Akihiko is a Minister of Justice. His daughter was killed, but it really did looked like she was sick. The poison took a process on affecting her body, it starts to spread and it looks like a fever, but it was so bad until she has to spend the night in hospital, then one night a man come to her room and poisoned her, an hour later she died. It's a classified information, even there are no suspicious news going around. Everyone really believed that she was dead because of sick.

"It's been eight months, we can search about it if we have more time, but we're afraid the information will leak out. Plus, the investigate indicate that the motive behind Akihiko's murdered daughter was because the recent case of K's Water with Ichi's corp. Akihiko wins Ichi's corp because everyone knows Ichi's corp was right and K's Water was wrong, but K's Water still hold grudges, so they murdered his daughter. Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Tatsuya is already questioning where K's Water got all the money to support last sports events. It is about time he investigate it"

The problem was so complicated until I forgot that Kiyoko is mad at me. This cycle of murder will keep continuing if we don't stop it, I only start working this morning, Kiyoko was mad, I already got a big mews like this, what a good start. "I hope you can figure who killed Akhiko's daughter"

"And if you can, please also tell us about K's Water, there had been an unusual things happen in that company, but we haven't been able to reveal it, so if you can please investigate about that too, but I need you to focus on Akihiko's case first"

"We'll do whatever we can"

"Thank you, I will send the information we got to you right away"

-

"I see, that's why he asked for you to guard him" Minato nodded in understanding, I stand in front of him, continue to report about my mission. "He said he will send the document about the mission immediately"

"Well, alright then. I'm sorry to tell you this, but Hisao is still missing, while you're gone we tried to find him or at least to get a clue on where he is, but we still couldn't find him. Now I assigned you to find out where he is"

"Alright"

"Someone will accompany you, and after you done that you will be dismissed, just let your partner report back to me" I wonder who's my partner? I bowed and leave the room.

"Itachi!" I should've known better that my partner will be him. Shisui pat me on my shoulder and walked beside me. "Yes?"

"It's been a long time since we have a mission together"

"Yeah, it's almost a month"

"I was so lonely without you"

"Go get a girlfriend" We are best friend, thankfully everyone know that, with his hand around my shoulder I'm sure if someone didn't know that they must think we are a guy couple.

"Ah, I know that you are married now, you want to show of, aren't you?" He raised one of his eyebrows while rub his elbow on my chest, I rolled my eyes, he is older than me, but somehow I sometimes feel older than him.

"How does it feel to be married?"

"I don't know, asked my father, I just married for a week" Shisui out his hands on his head, then it's his turn on rolling his eyes.

"You're no fun"

"How is Kiyoko?"

"She's like..... Kiyoko"

"Bravo Itachi, it's very enlightening explanation from a guy who have many degrees with an IQ above 150. Who always number one on class and have 4 GPA"

"What do you want me to say? I don't intend to share my wife with anyone else" I smirked at Shisui, he made a startled face, his mouth shaped into an 'o' and stopped walking. "Whoa, my friend is so territorial, I see"

"Focus on a mission Shisui, focus" I don't intend to talk about Kiyoko, I mean I don't really know her well, it will look weird for a husband to not to know his wife well, even when everyone already know it's an arranged marriage, it's still feel weird if I don't know her, seems like I don't care about her, it's not that I don't care, it's just...

"I'm just glad that you're happy again" Am I?

-

"This is his house, isn't it?" Shisui checked his phone, then see the house, then to his phone again. "Yes, it matches with the address, so it is"

"Yeah, the building is also the same" Me and Shisui try to ring the bell, a young man opened the gate and look at us up and down. "Can I help you?"

"We're here to ask about a guy who lived here, his name is Uchiha Hisao"

"I'm Itachi, and this is Shisui. We're a colleague from work, he's absent today, and when we try to contact him, there was no answer, so did you see him today?" I explained a lot more detail, the young man thought for a second then shook his head. "No, I didn't see him today"

"You guys are exaggerate, maybe he just got something important and forgot to tell you, or maybe he is drunk and have one night stand or there are still many possibilities, it's just one day, it's not like he is absent for a whole week" Yeah, if it's other work then we are exaggerated, but since this job is a lot more complicated than other job, then we have to do this.

If we're absent on a mission we have to hire a good explanation, more importantly we have to tell, so they could hire another person to replace it, if we didn't do neither then they will do what I'm doing right now.

"Yeah, our job is a little more complicated than other job" Shisui says, shrugging his shoulder. "So, when did the last time you see him?"

"Maybe two days ago?" He looked unsure. "So, you didn't see him yesterday?" Asked Shisui again, he was still looking unsure, he knitting his eyebrows, looking up at the sky.

"Let's see, at that time I didn't have money, and now I don't too" So this is where the conversation is going. Shisui was looking at me, I inhaled, rolled my eyes, then opening my wallet, careful not to let the young man see what's beneath it, or he will ask for more.

"I saw him two days ago, he said he just got back to work"

"Do you see anything unusual?"

"Did I?" He used the same way as he did before, knitting his eyebrows, looking up at the sky, pretend like he was thinking while at the same time confused. I rolled my eyes. "Alright, if we need any information we will come here again, perhaps tomorrow. For now, thank you for your information"

-

"Does he has a girlfriend?" Asked Shisui, yeah I think we should searching for her if he did. "I don't know, whose his best friend? Maybe he or she will know"

"I.... He seems like a very private person" says Shisui. "Maybe he was kidnapped?"

"Then we should give a ransom? To whom?"

"I don't know, maybe he's not the kind of guy who kidnapped to get ransom. Maybe he wants to sell inner part of the body"

"Yeah there's a chance on that"

"We just got the address and his profile, maybe we should just come back to report and ask for more information" said Shisui, eith an information like this I couldn't agree more.

-

"You can ask for more information in Karin. I already granted you all the access to Hisao information" Says Minato-sama after we told him everything we know. "Do you perhaps know who is his close friend or maybe girlfriend?"

"Hmm, I don't think I know about that, he's nice to everyone, but I don't know if he's close to particular person. You should check that on the list of person that have gone on a mission with him. You should search the most frequent one" he's right. Me and Shisui excused ourselves and heading to Karin.

"He's quite mysterious, isn't he?"

"Yeah"

We were looking for Karin in her work desk, but she wasn't there. "Is she already go home?"

"I don't think so, because her things are still here" shisui looked at her desk, there's glasses, a glass of water, face powder, and there's also a turn on computer. Well, maybe she just go to the bathroom.

We wait for fifteen minutes, but there's still no sign of her, Shisui already occupied her seat, sitting comfortably with his foot on the table and his hand at the back of his head. I already told him not too, but Shisui is Shisui. I already asked a person which desk was closed to Karin about where she's going, but they don't know too. Just about when I want to go, she came. Her hair was messed up, her cheek was damp, and her eyes were red with black rings around it.

Shisui get up quickly the moment Karin came into a view, me and Shisui looked at each other wondering what should we do now. Karin looked at me for a brief second then move at Shisui, she sobbed and everybody's eyes are on us, we didn't do anything.

"Karin...."

"Here are the files" she says while crying, I looked at Shisui, Shisui looked at me, we were confused. "What more do you need?"

"Thank you" I said and take the files, then go. Shisui followed me from behind and we walked fast. When I think it's far enough and no one could hear I started to talk. "What's wrong with her?"

"Didn't you know? She likes Sasuke, that's why when she looked at you she sobbed" I looked at Shisui in disbelief. "No, she sobbed when she looked at you"

"No, she averted her eyes at the time she looked at you because you're Sasuke's brother. That's why when she looked at me then she sobbed"

"Ah, so it's about Sasuke"

"Don't be jealous Itachi, you have a lot of girls too back then" Shisui winked while pat me on my shoulder. I rolled my eyes, then looked at Hisao's files.

He is thirty two years old, not married yet, his parents were both died, his mom dead when he was twenty and his father dead three years after that. His parents were both one and only child, his grandparents were dead, so he has no other relatives. It's written there that he had a girlfriend. Her name was Yoshi, but she's also dead.

"This is unusual" I give one of the files to Shisui, then search on other files. "What?"

"All of his relatives were dead"

"I feel sorry for him" says Shisui while reading the files. "Where could we get any leads?"

"CCTV? The guy from his boarding house? Relax, with a warrant he won't ask for money" Shisui sits on my chair while I stand beside him.

"No close friends, no girlfriend, no relatives, this guy literally loves to be alone" Shisui flipped his files, trying to find something, I flipped the files over an over again, but nothing. "This...."

I looked immediately at him "You found something?"

"His father was dead in a car crash with him, it's written here he was with him until his last breath" Shisui looked at me, we were thinking the same thing.

"Mangekyo Sharingan"

"When was his girlfriend dead?"

"Five years ago" Shisui looked at me meaningfully, then to the files again. "And he hasn't been dating since then?"

"Yeah, I think so"

"There's a possibility of suicide" All of the people who close to him already dead, he shut himself and decided to live alone, he got stressed, then commit suicide.

"But why he has to vanish? Why don't he just commit suicide in his house? It will be easier than searching a place faraway just to commit suicide" Shisui's right. Why bother finding a place to commit suicide? Wherever you are it will end the same. Is there any motive? Or what?

"Where did his father, mother, and girlfriend dead?" Shisui flipped the papers and read it thoroughly, his eyes scanning the text, searching the report of the death. "His mother was sick, she suffered from heart attack, so it's on the hospital bed, his father on the car accident as you already know, near the gym beside the Tokyo's Market, and his girlfriend was found dead on her house, she was...... I think suicide?"

"It's written there that she committed suicide?"

"No, just that she was dead in her house"

"What's your idea?"

"Maybe he committed suicide in one of those places, like he wants to be with them or something like that?"

"But if he committed suicide on the hospital, or in the street where his father dead or even in his girlfriend house we will get the notification by now, someone must've already reported that"

"Yeah, but we don't know exactly about the girlfriend's house"

"Yeah maybe we should check it out tomorrow" I looked at him in confusion, we still have time, it's not that late. "Why? We can do it now"

"I can actually, but you can't. Go home Itachi, there's someone waiting for you" Shisui sounds serious, but then he says "You also have to save your stamina, you can't waste your energy with searching information in the girl's house" Shisui winked, I sighed, I'm a little anxious with going home, but I'm not going to tell him that.

"What? You don't want to go home?"

"Alright then I'll go to your house and meet Kiyoko" Shisui headed to the door and I grab his shirt, restrain his to do so. "Nah, you don't have to, I'll go home right now"

I quickly walked out, leaving Shisui behind, I am thinking about Kiyoko, what will she do when I got home? No, actually the important question is what I'm going to do when I got home?

I ride my motorcycle, the sun already hide behind the dark sky, the temperature getting cold and it gets colder as I drove faster. I drove to the street where Hisao's father dead, but as I expected there's nothing suspicious there. I continued to drive until I reach my home, the gate opened after the scanning then I got inside.

Father's car and also Sasuke's car already parked, which means they already home. I detached my helmet, pell off my mask, my glove and zipped out my jacket. I got inside, and saw Kiyoko's watching television. What do I do now?

Kiyoko turned her head on me, I slowed my stride, she gets up. "Welcome home, I will prepared the hot bath, the dinner is still on the table It's still warm, we just finished eating the dinner you can eat first while waiting for the hot bath" She takes my jacket and bag, she looks nervous, well actually she looks nervouse almost every single time, I wonder why. Then she dissepeared to prepared my hot bath, I didn't even say anthing. I was too grateful she didn't mad at me anymore, which I don't know how to act if she still did, her expression now are natural, seems like she already forgot about yesterday. Thank God.

There are no one in sight, maybe they already got into the bedroom, I continued eating while thinking about Hisao, I should tell my father, he might know something, we even have to do Uchiha's gathering for this. He is a nice guy, not the kind of a guy who got a lot of problems, but then again people with lots of stress usually not the one whose showing it. I don't get why he suddenly missing, his motive is still unknown.

If we put Shisui's theory that he was kidnapped, I mean why didn't he fights back? He is a ninja after all, we got a lot of training than military do, so I'm sure he can beat whoever tries to kidnap him, maybe there's something we don't know? Yeah, but what? Just as I'm about to think about another possibility Kiyoko tells me that the bath already prepared, so I take a bath, but my mind is still on Hisao.


	9. Chapter 8

I brought my jacket and bag, I feel uncomfortable when I wear short sleeves. After saying goodbye to Mikoto I took a taxi then headed to the cafeteria, the journey was quite far, I take a look at the streets and shops on my way to the cafeteria, I don't think I can remember the way, so many turns and looked alike shops. The delicatessen sells a tantalizing foods, I almost stopped by to buy one. Luckily the driver knows the road so well, I don't know what would I do if he didn't.

"You're new here?"

"Uh, not really. I just don't really like to go out" he nodded, as he sees my reflection in the mirror. My phone beeps, there's a message from Eri.

 

From: Eri  
To: Kiyoko

Where are you? I already arrived and no one here:(

 

From: Kiyoko  
To: Eri

I'm still on my way, just wait a little longer:)

 

We all already agreed to meet at 11 am, but it's still 10.45. She's always be an early bird. She never late on every occasion, that makes me and my friends be punctual too, but still no one is as early as Eri. Not long after that, Eri popped up on our group chat. Saying where are we and told us to get there quickly. Emiko says she still got stuck in the traffic, Aiko says she just finished her meeting and is on her way here, I responded with 'almost there' and the other didn't respond.

Not long after that, I arrived at the restaurant, Emiko says this sushi restaurant is so popular until all the tourists come here everyday, we even have to book the restaurant first. Of course, under Eri's name because we can assure that she is the first one to arrive. The doorman opened the door for me and I walked in, I was greeted by a woman, she is a little older than me, with short hair and a tall banana shaped body, she asked if I already booked the table. After I said eri's name she instantly guide me to the table.

We walked passed by many table, from the design it really is fancy. The wall is black when I first come in, when I got inside the table was divided by the intricate walls, I can still looked inside, and Emiko was right, there's so many foreign tourists here. "Kiyoko!"

I see Eri at the corner of the table, I said a quick thank you to the woman and sit beside Eri. She hugged me, the last time I saw her was of course, on my wedding day. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, I want to ask how about you, but I still remember that you are just married so you must be great" she winked her eye and I smiled.

"HI!" Masami is standing while smiling brightly, she ran into us and throw herself at us. The crush of her bone against us was hurt, luckily we're happy now so it was alright. "I miss you so so so so so"

"I know, now go away my bones hurt" Eri pushed Masami away, she pushed her too hard until she lose balanced and fall down to the floor. She looked at Eri and get up. "You are mean!"

We talked while waiting for the others to come, Eri is still sassy, she always make comments about what coming out of Masami's mouth. Well, Masami still the same, she's still childish, and clumsy, but I think it got a little better than the last time. Not long after that, Hikari, Akane neechan, Emiko arrived, Aiko was the last time to come.

"Let's start ordering, I'm starving!"

After all of us finished ordering, Aiko was the first time to start conversation, as soon as the waitress was nowhere in sight, the gossip started. "So, at Saturday I have an appointment with a business partner..."

"Ahh, really? business partner? Or a date?" Masami wiggled her eyebrows, all of us started to smiled meaningfully at Aiko, Aiko's behaviour started to turn weird, but then she mask it off and pretend to play it cool. "Hush, it's a business matters, he's cute, but it's enough we're not going to talk about that"

"No! I prefer to talk about this than what's your about to tell us!"

"Shh! After a couple minutes eating, I saw someone with waitress uniform, guess what?"

"That's his girlfriend?" Masami was not going to give in, she keep pushing Aiko until she tell her about the guy. Aiko rolled her eyes, she sighed heavily, but chose to ignore her. "It's Asuka"

"WHAT?!" Asuka was like one of the most popular person in the university. She's pretty, rich, sexy, but not really that smart apparently. "Isn't she like, graduated two years ago?"

"Yeah, I know right? I thought that it was someone else, but as soon as she saw me she's like shocked and tried to hide herself. So, that must be her, right?" She explained it perfectly, she always explained something clearly, must be her talent to explained something clearly, that's why she's a business woman.

Masami nodded her head, squinting her eyes, agreed with Aiko. "Are you positive that was her? Maybe she hides because you stare at her too long"

"No. I was really sure it was her. At that time I'm thinking about to go and chasing her, but I'm at the business meeting. So I put the thought aside" We were all watching Aiko talked attentively, no one dared to look away from her. "The correct way to say it is 'at that time, I'm thinking about to go and chasing her, but I have a date so I put the thought aside'" Masami winked her eyes, Aiko slaps her on her shoulder, she winced and hold her shoulder, Masami trying to look menacing at Aiko, but he face was too cute.

"Enough both of you" Akane neechan said, she is the oldest of us, she was the most mature than us, she often act like a mother and all of us didn't mind that. Masami and Aiko was silent after they got scolded by Akane neechan, all of us still can hear Akane murmured about Masami, and so does Masami. "So you're saying that right now the girl you just talked about was rich, but somehow she worked as a waiter in a restaurant where you've eaten?"

"Yes, and I asked another waitress about her name and they said it's Asuka!"

"I never heard about her anymore after we graduated" I agreed, that's also the last time I saw her, and since then I never heard any news. "Do you know what's going on?"

"Well, apparently she left her house and choose to live on her own" Everyone on the table was looking at Aiko. Masami thinks that she was the one who misheard what Aiko says. "Did I missing something?"

"I know right, at first I was so confused, why she suddenly leave? I mean she looks like a spoiled girl who always spend money for everything even it was unnecessary, now she just left it like it was nothing?"

"I thought it was going to be like in the movie, her family was bankrupt so she has to work" I said as the waitress put the order on our table, everyone was busy now with organizing the plate on the right place, the waitress asked if we want anything, we said a polite no and say thank you.

"Yeah, I thought so too" said Hikari. "I did some research on her family business rught now and there's nothing wrong with it"

"That's weird" Masami started to hold her chopsticks and looking at her food, everyone eyes already on their plate, they already forgot about Asuka and focus on dishes in front of them. The sushi was still fresh, the orange color was so tantalizing, other sushi rolls were on the plate, all set.

"Now, we're going to start eating, we are all here to meet up and congratulate Kiyoko on her marriage, let's hope that she will have a happy marriage life that will last forever" Akane smiles warmly at me, our glass clinked and everyone cheered for me, then says 'thank you for the food' then eat.

We share food, taste each other food and making a small talk. "Ahh,we should take a picture!" Masami said while rummaging her bag, searching for her phone. Akane Neechan hit Masami's head gently with her chopsticks, make Masami rubbing her forehead, trying to ease the pain even though the impact was just a little. "We already talking about no phone while eating"

"Ahh, but we have to take a picture while the foods is still here, if we take a picture after we finished the food people won't know that we are here, together eating sushi"

"Alright, let's take a picture" we all hunch into our table, then looked at Masami's camera phone, we took several pictures and after that we continued to eat. "Alright, we finished main dishes!"

"This is the talk time!" Eri said, she looks so excited to tell us something, the waitress come to take our plate, then put some dishes on our table, there's an ice cream, mochi, crepes, and a slice of pie. We haven't ordered anything yet, is this free because we just bought a lot of food? Or is it customary here?

"We haven't ordered anything, maybe you got the wrong table" Eri says politely, all of us pushed back the tantalizing looking dessert with a heavy heart, 'this one really looks delicious' I talked to the Milk Pie as I pushed further.

"No, this is from the guy on the right cube, and his friends, the pie is for you miss, the mochi is for you miss, and this ice cream is for you miss" the waitress gestured the pie for Eri, mochi for Akane neechan, and a chocolate ice cream for me. "The rest is for all, since the guy from right cube feel bad if it's just the three of you who eat dessert"

"It's okay just take it back, I think the guy from the right cube need it more than me" I said as I give her back the chocolate ice cream. "No, he said to give it to you"

"But put this into our cheque"

"No, the guy already pay for that"

"Just accept it Kiyoko, I'm sure Itachi wouldn't mind" said Eri while winking. "Yeah, but I think if that was you, your new boyfriend will mind" says Masami to Aiko. Aiko already had enough, so she just rolled her eyes and she already eating her mochi.

"Yeah Kiyoko, it's not our fault, just enjoyed it, I'm sure Osamu will understand my situation too" says Akane neechan, everyone in our table already eating their dessert, the waitress already left, so I guess I should eat this too.

"Soo, how is Itachi?" Masami asked, I just blinked in confusion, what should I say? "We're good"

"Ah, of course a newlywed couple is always good" Eri wiggling her eyebrows, I just continued to eat my ice cream. "So did you guys did it?" Masami asks, Eri also looking very excited. "Did what?"

"SEX!" Say Masami, Eri, Aiko, and Emiko at the same time, I choked and the four of them just laughed. "Alright guys enough making fun of Kiyoko" says Hikari, but I still cough, trying to make my throat feels better.

"Aw, Kiyoko's face is now a tomato" said Masami and I just keep continued eating my ice cream, pretending I didn't hear, or didn't care. This is embarrassing.

"It is private guys" says Akane neechan, I can't say anything I'm way too embarrassed for that, I take a peek at them, looking what their reactions, they just keep looking at me while giggling. "But I mean we're friends, oh wait best friends so it's okay to talk to us if you want to, right?"

"But she doesn't want to, guys get over it" says Akane neechan again.

"I... Yeah”

"Is he treats you well?" Asked Hikari neechan, trying to change the subject, Masami, Eri, Emiko, and Aiko still discussing something. "Yeah, he's always nice, he's so kind"

"When will you go on a honeymoon?" Asked Akane neechan, now everyone already forget about sex thing and continued to talk a normal thing. "I don't know, Itachi is still busy, we haven't talked about it yet"

We continued telling stories, everyone talked about their lives and about what's coming, the last time we met is in my wedding, well except for Emiko, of course. We already forget about time, it's almost six pm, and we got hungry again, so we ordered once more and eating quickly since all of us has something to do tomorrow.

We got up and gathering our things, then walked outside, when we're on the hallway, there's five guys standing in front of us. I'm sure they're not from around here, it's clear that they're from another country. One of them has a blonde hair with green eyes, he has a fair skin, with muscular body. Beside him is a man with brown eyes and a tan skin, with a mustache. The other guy has a red hair with a pale skin, and a lean body, the guy number fourth has a brown hair with some stubble, he is the shortest of them, and the last one has a brown hair with a really tanned skin, maybe he spent a lot of time on the beach, because his black hair has some brown hair, that kind of hair you usually got when you spend a lot of time underneath the sun.

"Hi there" the one with the red hair greeted us, all of them blocked our way, we have no other option except to respond. "Hi" we said nonchalantly, all we want to do is going out of here and go home. All of us already tired because we have been here since this afternoon, it's already evening. Some of us have something to do tomorrow, we need rest, we need our bed.

"So, I see you have so much fun back there" the guy with brown eyes and tan skin said. Nobody answered that, I am pretty sure all of us is doing the same thing, thinking what to say and what should we do to get out of this situation. I take a quick glance to Akane neechan, she is the oldest of us, and the most mature of us. She is also thinking.

"Yeah, we are" said Masami bravely, the guy with brown eyes and tan skin looking at Masami from head to toe, and smile. "Well, maybe we can join you all on a dinner sometimes, how's that sound?"

"Sounds bad" Emiko says and all of the guys laugh. "You guys really have a good sense of humour" Aiko rolled her eyes, I wonder why isn't there people who passed by, so these guys will stop blocking our path and let us out of here.

"I think the talking is enough, now if you'll excuse us, we need to go home, so please make a way" Akane neechan says. All of us can hear she really emphasise every words.

"Too bad, we were planning to talk to you guys, but perhaps we can exchange number?" The guy with brown hair with some stubble said with a smile on his face, trying so hard to look attractive. "I was the one who give you mochi by the way"

"I am married" says Akane neechan while showing him the ring on her fingers. The guy didn't look surprised at all, he just keeps smiling. "That's exactly what I thought" is he even serious? I was surprised, but Akane neechan was mad, she didn't even feel surprised for a second, she was angry. "I love someone whose older than me"

"I despise a guy whose younger than me"

"That makes me like you more"

"Well, how about you? Do you like a guy with a red hair?" Said the guy with the red hair to Eri. Eri rolled her eyes, I'm sure she really wanted to use her skills on taekwondo and punch him in the face, but actually I think it's not just him, but all of them, so we could go home.

"No"

"She likes me, she is my girlfriend" Said Masami while put her hands around Eri's shoulder. We tried our best not to laugh, even Eri trying to look as cool as possible while the guy face looked disbelief, I really want to laugh when I see his face.

"What about you? You and I could go to dinner, how's that sound?" The guy with blonde hair come closer as he stopped right in front of me, I don't know what to say, I always don't know what to say. He smiles at me and I looked away, searching for help. Masami looked like she's about to do something, but she also looking confused.

"Aw, you're such a prude, I'll take a good care of you" His face is coming closer, as I take a step back, I stumbled into something and started to lose my balance, I try to keep it, then there's a hand hold my shoulder.

"Well, that's my job" I turned my head and met Itachi's face.

"Ah, a possessive boyfriend?" He said tauntingly, raised one of his eyebrows.

"Possessive husband actually" Itachi already moved, face to face with the blonde guy. Itachi is taller, but the blonde guy is a little more muscular than him.

"Look, what you did just now is wrong, it is clear that they're not interested, plus the lady here already told you that she's married so you better back off. Now, if you'll excuse us we need to go home it is late already. Would you please kindly give us a way?" Itachi says politely, but there's a trace on his voice that he's holding himself.

"A married woman still can get divorce"

"And I can lose my patience" Itachi says menacingly, I have never seen him like that. The blonde guy rolled his eyes and move away slowly, followed by his friends, and go.

"Are you alright?" Itachi asked checking me from head to toe. I nodded "I'm okay"

"Are you guys alright?" Itachi asked the others and they said fine in unison.

"It's already late, if no one pick you up I will take you to your house"

"Not me, my boyfriend already outside" says Emiko. "My husband is already outside too" Akane neechan says. "Mr. Daisuke is already outside waiting for me" says Eri “And I tag along” says Hikari.

“I’m coming with Kiyoko” Masami says, she was looking at Aiko “You too right?” Aiko nodded eagerly, we were supposed to order a taxi together if Itachi wasn’t here.

With that we said our goodbyes and left, Itachi asked where Aiko and Masami lived, Aiko lived closer to us,while Masami is a little far from us, so we decided to drop Masami first. “How does it feels like to be married?” Masami popped her face between me and Itachi, Aiko sighed loudly, slowly she pulled back Masami’s head. “No, guys don’t answer that” she said as Masami cried a little.

“You said ask!” Masami said “Not that!” Aiko whispering, but it still can be heard.

“Well, it is different for every people, some people feel joy, some people might feel their freedom is vanished, some people feel nothing, as if marriage is not important to them, but for me I feel joy, I feel happy” I can’t believe he answered that. I don’t even know what to say, Is he telling the truth?

Masami is looking at me, “Huh?”

“What about you?” Masami said, oh my god. “No, Masami that’s enough, we already heard what Kiyoko’s think back there”

“Really?” Masami asked, I know Aiko just made that up so I don’t have to answer. “No, it’s okay I want to hear” says Itachi, I am not prepared for this. “Kiyoko says Itachi is very kind, and she extremely happy” Aiko answered, I don’t know what Aiko did to Masami, but after that Masami followed “Yeah! And extremely gorgeous! Even when she remembers you she suddenly blushed!” I put a palm on my face, this is humiliating. Itachi laughed, and so Aiko and Masami. “Really? You said that Kiyoko?”

“Yes” Wait, what? Why I said yes? But it’s more confusing if I said no, what should I tell him if I said no?

“Say it now Kiyoko!” Masami encouraged me, followed by Aiko. I thought she is on my side. “You’re very kind and I am so..” I was interrupted by Masami “Extremely!”

“I am extremely happy, and….” Everyone was looking at me, waiting for my next words, Itachi was holding back his laughter, I can see that, now not just Masami who popped her head, Aiko too. “and you’re extremely gorgeous” Itachi is looking at me when I said that and he laughs. “You have to say you’re blushing when you remember Itachi” Masami said “No, that was okay, look! She already blushed” Yeah, I’m sure I am. “Thank you for the gorgeous part”

“The one with yellow fence!” Masami pointed out for her house and she get off the car, she knocked on my window “You pick the right one” then say goodbye. After that, there’s not much talking to Aiko’s house. She get off and say thank you. “Thank you” I said to Itachi, he turned his head on me. “I haven’t said thank you when you save us back there, and thank you for dropping off my friends”

“Welcome”

“Why wouldn’t you tell me you’re coming?”

“I want it to be a little surprise” I nodded then we back to our house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so sorry for the late update, so many things to do, but I try to do it as fast as possible in the future! Enjoy!


	10. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually want to add more, but I think it's better to put it in the next chapter. Hope you enjoy and see you later!❤️

As usual, Itachi is working, and I just finished cleaning the house, Mikoto says she will be back late and now I’m alone in this house, I already told Itachi and Mikoto that I will go to buy some painting utensils, so the house will be empty, they said it was fine. Now, I’m prepared to go, I change my clothes and lock the door, as usual there’s no one in the neighborhood, I walked to the highway and take a bus to the station. The bus is really crowd today, even I couldn’t have a seat.

I was in peace on my mind, no one talks on the bus so it was really quite, I see the streets moved as the bus keep going. This is so relaxing, but my mind which was empty suddenly filled with Uchihas. When I first agreed married to Itachi, I had my doubts too. I don't think Itachi likes me, I know he was just being polite, I hate to admit this, but right now he still do. Mikoto trying to convince me that Itachi has some feelings on me, I can't say that I'm not happy about that, even when it's already sounds absurd, but my own imagination has a way to beat common sense.

The other thing I considered about was a family, I didn't have someone who wait for me at home, but now I do. I didn't have someone who will asked how's my day? But now I have. Now I have someone to eat dinner with, I am happy, but if you already have something you tend to ask more. That's human nature, we will never get enough. I have family now, but somehow there's still a wall between us. I meet them everyday, talking about our day, still there's something that isn't right.

They never told me anything, I know Itachi's job was supposed to be a secret, but I never know a thing about it. All I know is his job is very dangerous, every mission was confidental, he never discussed anything with me about his job, that part, seems like spread through all aspects of life. He never told me anything, except when I asked, but he also very careful with answering. Like what he did when Masami asked him about how he feels with being married. He said he's happy, I can see he is smiling, but I don't know if that's real or not, nevertheless it's very convincing.

I tried to asked him about his job once, I keep myself from asking the question palpably, it's either he is too smart or he just used to hide everything so that come out smooth. I am not the one who always talk, but Itachi rarely talked either, he sometimes start the conversation, but it's the same question all over again 'How's your day?' 'What did you cook today?' 'Do you need anything?' 'New painting utensils perhaps?' 'Do you need someone to deliver the painting?'

That just it, he never asked beyond that, I wonder if he really care, I wonder if he just for once intrigued about my life or wondering something about me. Why did he agreed to marry me? Probably because he is too kind to his mom, or too obedient to his father. I tried to make him like me as a friend, but how can you be friends when there's still secret? Let's say it is okay if the secret is just a little, well everyone has a secret, but there are no trust at all. This marriage is just like two stranger were living together, he doesn't even know my favourite colour, not that I have one, but he never asked.

I am well aware there are tears in my eyes, it's not the first time I cried about this matter, I know I was probably exaggerating things, or childish, but I never got a married advice, never had a relationship, rarely talked to boys, I could asked my friends opinion, but they will asked about Itachi's job which was supposed to be stay hidden, I always told them Itachi is a cop, so I didn't really know his job since it's comfidental, thankfully they never asked about it, but if I told them this, it will be more complicated, they will asked about Itachi's job even if it means to asked that in front of his faces.

There's this one time when suddenly Mikoto asked me to go out to do a monthly shopping, she says she can't come because she has to cook for the dinner, she says that night everyone will go home and have a dinner together, I agreed with her, we rarely have a dinner with full team, so I go out to but everything she needs. When I went back, I open the door with my hands full of things, there are lots of people already in the house, they're looking at me, while I'm frozen at the door, Mikoto didn't say anything about having a guest coming over, and there are more than thirty guests right now, I don't know them, but there are some faces I remember at my wedding, they just looking, not even bother to help me carrying things. I smile a little while carrying one bag at first, I can carrying all of them at once. Then, Itachi come saying it's okay to leave that there, he will carrying that later, he told me to wait at our room, I did. Not more than five minutes later the guest were all leave.

I am ready to eat dinner, so as Mikoto told everyone eat dinner together, when I asked about why suddenly there are lots of people coming, Mikoto says they're here to discuss about work, when I asked why she didn't tell me so I can help her with giving a guest food or a drink she says it's okay, they didn't even eat or drink anything just now, so that was fine, but still that's weird. It's like they don't want me there, because as soon as I arrived, they left.

The only person that's open with me is just Mikoto, she still won't talked about her husband and Itachi's work, she just talks about her day, about her friends whose daughter is annoying, or her friends whom she liked or disliked and other thing about her. I asked about Itachi to her, she said I should just asked him myself so we will become closer, she should've known that it's the other way around.

I rarely talked to Sasuke and Fugaku, they are rarely home, even if they did, when they're home I already slept, when they were gone I haven't woken up yet. Or they probably be in the other part of the house, since Uchihas house is too big. Even if we were in the same room I don't know what topic should I bring about. Maybe weather? That's too basic, but it will be weird if I asked about their favourite colour.

I arrived at the station and walk in to the train, the train is the opposite of the bus, it's so empty today, maybe because it's not working time. I should come back quickly later if I don't want to be trapped inside the train with people who just got back to work. I seat and do the thing I just did on the bus, I was looking at the window, everything is blur since the train moved too fast. Seems like I don't have anything to think about except Itachi or any other Uchihas. My mind is filled with Itachi. Maybe I have to try harder, if I am not a prude maybe he likes me.

I sighed, yeah maybe I was just exaggerating things, better try again tomorrow. I am too selfish, I want to have a family, I never considered this full of secrets and no trust in each other, is this how a family is? In the orphanage we're family too, there are rarely secrets with more trust in each other. I have to be sure I'll survive, this will end good, don't worry Kiyoko.

Thinking literally takes time, I suddenly have arrived at Hoka Station, I get off the train and walked out of it, the painting utensils is not far from the station, I keep walking and watching my surroundings, there are still no sign of painting utensils. Masami said it was near, I tried to make sure I didn't get lost by re-reading the texts Masami sent, I am going to a right direction, but I haven't found it yet. Maybe a little more walk. I keep walking until I saw a paintbrush, finally I found it.

With more walking I can see all the painting utensils, from graphite pencils to artist palette. There are so many shops that sell it, but now it's like I'm the only buyer here, no one else come yet, I guess? Masami told me on weekdays, people rarely go here, but I didn't know she means this empty. I buy on one of the seller here, his name is Arata, he is on his forties. He says not many of the shops are open during weekdays, because not many peiole come here on weekdays, just like what Masami's said.

"Do you have an artist palette?"

"No, I don't, I haven't buy another one yet, last weekend someone buy up the entire stock. There's someone here who specially sold the artist palette here, it's Aki-san. Her shops is a little far from here, you need to walked from here, then when you meet an intersection you turned left, you go along that street then when you meet a tree turn right. It might be a long way, but she sold the bes palette here"

"Ahh, alright then, thank you. How much is it?" I gestured at the utensils I buy. "3000 yen"

"Are you sure?" He nodded and say yes. "But I buy a lot"

"Yeah, the only reason why people come here is because all of the seller here sell their products at the very low prices, if we don't do that no one will come here anymore" it's sad to think how they keep the low prices, but they can still living with the money.

"Keep the change" I said and leave to Aki-san shops. I strolled through the streets, following the direction that Akara-san gives me. So many shops closed the deeper I go into the marketplace. There's someone who sells food too, I keep walking until I finally found Aki-san shop, it is in the exact place that Akara-san told me.

The shop is not really big, but it's filled with many kinds of palette, other painting utensils too, but mostly palette. I walked and look around there are so many kinds, it makes me hard to choose. "May I help you?"

"I'm looking for a palette, I'm now confuse which one should I choose"

"Ahh, I understand. Take your time, it's alright" she replied with a smile on her face, people here are really nice, I should come here often. After lots of thinking I finally buy three palette.

"I'm Aki, the owner of this shop" she says introducing herself while putting one by one the palette on a bag. "Ahh, yes I know from Akara-san, he suggested me to buy the palette here, simce he runs out of palette. I'm Kiyoko by the way"

"Ahh, so today he opens his shop" I smiled and paid the palette, we saying our goodbyes and I leave. I'm wandering this area, I want to look the other side of the streets, looking if there's a food stall, after a quite long time, I didn't find it, the shop that sells food that I see before I buy the palette, I can't find it again. Now, I think I'm lost, there's literally no one here, because all the shops were closed. I already forgot the way to go back, I tried to walk around hoping I found an open shop or find Aki-san shop, but I think I wandered to far.

After looking around, I finally heard a hustling sounds, maybe there's someone here, I walked closer to the sounds, but found nothing. I keep walking without any exact direction, where is it? Where's the way back? I heard a clangorous sounds, I run following the sounds, it keeps getting farther as I run, I didn't watch my surroundings, but then I realize this is not a market anymore. Where is it?

"Hello?" The closer I get, the louder the sounds, someone is fighting, I get closer to the sounds and see something I've never seen before. There are a lot of people fighting, they're so fast I can't see them clearly, some of them fight with a weapon, while some others just.... Unbelievable, they were fighting, jump from a great heights and there are someone who can make a fire, by himself, just like it suddenly appeared, out of nowhere. He doesn't have lighters or anything, it just suddenly showed up. How can someone did that?

I stood there, it's unbelievable. They keep fighting, didn't realise that I was watching the whole time. I can't move, I'm perplexed. What is going on? What did I see?

Someone stand in front of me, I was shocked, but still unmoved, it's Itachi. I don't know why, but I relieved I meet him, I can't talk, I want to asked what happend, what's happening here, and asking him is he see what I just seen. I just realised his eyes were red, not black like before, how? There's the dots on his eyes, then suddenly the people who were fighting was gone, Itachi asked if I was lost, I said yes, he said I shouldn't wander too much on the place I just know, he said again he was here to pick me up, he finished work early, and read my message that I was here. Then he show the way, somehow I tripped and my head hit the wall beside me, it was hurt, Itachi come to my direction, and I can't see him anymore after that.

-

Today, we go to investigate Nii Yugito's case, I am the team leader, not just me, Shisui and Kakashi too. We separated into different areas. When I did a mission a week ago, after I was done, me and my comrades ate together in a restaurant, they asked me to pay because I am the senior, I did, then I met Kiyoko, I didn't even know that she ate in the same restaurant, but I said I just want to pick her up. After we got home, I just read her message that she will ate in the sushi restaurant.

I feel bad, but I just too busy.. I think? Now, back to the mission, we have a report that this location has a connection with Nii Yugito's death. It's said Nii Yugito's come here often before she was dead, we tried to investigate, somehow there are someone who's here too, of course from Raikage's side, we tried to investigate it as quitely as possible, but seems like we got caught. This is bad. I told my team to retreat and end the investigation, but they're attack first, I told them just to hold their attack, but it was no use, they keep attacking. Just when I thought the situation was worse, I see Kiyoko watching our fight. Shit.

I told my team to retreat, I stand in front of Kiyoko, putting her under a genjutsu. Then she lose her conscious, I pick her up and run. We got to our car, speed up to the office. Thank God they're not following us, they must report instantly to Raikage, I too must report to Hokage.

"How come she suddenly there?" Asked Kiba while driving. "I have no idea"

-

I brought Kiyoko into the office, everyone was looking at me with Kiyoko on my hands, Kiba and the others followed behind me. "Where's Minato sama?"

"He hasn't come back yet, he will be back at 3 pm" says Sizuka. "Please don't tell anyone I bring Kiyoko, and tell everyone who sees Kiyoko to pretend like they never see her here" with that I leave and went to Intelligence Division, I hope Inoichi will be there.

I strolled down the hall, Kiyoko is still under my genjutsu, she won't wake up unless someone breaks the genjutsu. I keep walking, sometimes I bunped into someone and say sorry, thank God not many people were here, I don't want to get caught. I break in to the Intelligence Division and searching for Inoichi san, people were surprised at my sudden entrance, but they get back to work instantly. I am heading to the chief office when I heard my name was being called. "Itachi?"

I turned my head and found Inoichi, his face looks confused, he looks at me, then at Kiyoko, then get back at me again. "What happend here?"

"I think we should talk"

"Come in to my office" we got in to his office, the office was cleaned, there's a wiindow at the right side, I can see one of the interviews room from here. He sits on the edge of the table, looking at unconscious Kiyoko in my hands. "You should bring her to Medic Division to Tsunade sama, not here in the Intelligence Division to me, but since she's already here then I guess you can just out her on the couch, I think Ino is still here somewhere"

"No, I'm here for a reason, but not for that reason" Inoichi was looking at me, a silent way to urge me to talk. "I did an investigation, but turned out someone attacked us, we fight and Kiyoko was accidentally there and watched it"

"Your point?"

"Remove Kiyoko's memories" he folds his hand on his chest. "You know I can't do that"

"Please, this is urgent"

"Itachi, just put down Kiyoko on the couch first" I did as just what he told me. I put Kiyoko on the couch, her hair was too long its already touched the ground beneath the couch. "I can't do that"

"This is an emergency, she sees what shinobi is, it's usual for you to wipe the memories of civilians if they see what shinobi's did, they weren't supposed to see, it's just the same with usual Inoichi san"

"It's not the same Itachi, I remove normal civilians memories if they seen what shinobi's did, it will be harmful for them if they remember it, but this is different, she is your family, what did you expect? Marrying her then you hide all of this for the rest of your life?"

"Yes, I did"

"Itachi, you're being illogical, please think about this, think clearly, she will know about this, sooner or later"

"No, this is too fast, not that I want her to know it later, but this is my decision Inoichi san, please remove her memories"

"If you didn't want to tell her why marry her?" He looks at Kiyoko who lays on the couch.

"You know why I marry her"

"Itachi, I want to ask you something. When you marry her, it's just because of that? You never planned to be literally married to her?"

"If I answered this would you remove her memories?" Inoichi sighed, he massaged his forehead. "It depends on your answer"

"Wait, do you put her under tsukoyomi?"

"No, of course not. Tsukoyomi is too harmful"

"I didn't think that possible" I answered

"Do you ever think to plan on working on that?" He asks, I think for a moment "Sometimes"

"Itachi, please consider this. You should try to open up with her، do your really think to life with her forever this way?" I stayed silent. I still think that's possible, but I didn't say, I'm afraid if I say that he wouldn't want to remove Kiyoko's memories.

"Do you really think you will live with her awkwardly? Until death do you part?" He raised his eyebrows, I sighed. "Alright, what do you want?"

"It's better not to remove her memories, then you explain everything, say sorry, she will be mad at you a little, but I think you'll get through that"

"No, I need you to remove her memories"

"Oh my goodness Itachi! She will know sooner or later. Plus, there will be side effects if we remove someone's memories. The absolute effect is a headache, she will have a bad headache, we still unsure , but some say the headache of some people whose memories had been removed also becomes a vertigo afterwards, there still hasn't been a research about the long term and other side effects, but it's better for us not to do that"

"No, she's not ready for this, I swear to God if this wasn't urgent I won't be this desperate"

"Just ask Kakashi how he deals with Hana before, you'll be fine" he was started to look desperate too, we're both desperate to make each other gave up, but no one wants to.

"No, this is different. Please just do it" he sighed, already tired of me being persistent. "Alright, but I have conditions"

"Agreed" I said instantly, I'm running out of time, I still have to write a report, and do other things. "You haven't heard it yet. First, this will be the last time I remove Kiyoko's memories, I mean it, if you asked again in the future I won't do that no matter how many times you begged me to, and don't even think to ask my subordinate because I will tell them not to, I mean it, I won't let them do it. Second, to wipe someone's mind, that means I have to see her memories from the very first, the memories from her since she was born, if there's something that I see, no matter what is it I won't tell you, I won't tell anybody. Third, you must tell Hana and Minato sama right now before I remove Kiyoko's memories, they have to agree first then I'll do it"

He said that like it was not a big deal, I actually agreed with all the terms except tell Hana, she won't agreed on this. "I agreed to everything except tell Hana, I will tell Hokage sama, but not Hana"

"When I removed someone's memories, I list down all the names to Hokage sama and he also reported that to the government. That's an old way, now there's Hana, if I wanted to remove memories, I have to report it to both of them, you know Hana is the representatives of the government" She would never approve, even if I begged and list all the things of why Kiyoko's memories should have been removed, no matter how much it make sense she will say no.

"Hana wouldn't say yes"

"Then I can't do it"

"I know you didn't really ask both of them when you want to remove someone's memories, you just ask Hokage sama, he approves then when you finished doing it, you send all the list of people which memories have been removed to Hana, she didn't know any of them she just read the reason then report it to the government, now tell me if I'm wrong"

"You're right"

"I know you just searching for a reason so you don't have to remove Kiyoko's memories"

"Yes, I forgot you are that smart"

"But then again if you're so smart you won't do this"

"Just do it, you know I won't leave until you do it"

"Alright, but after I do it you must report to Minato sama and Hana"

"I will tell Hokage sama, but not Hana, I mean not yet"

"This is not a metaphor, but you know when you tell her you're dead, right?"

"Yes"

"Ahh, I underestimated you, I thought you didn't love Kiyoko, but here you are willing to death for her sake"

"Shut up" he raised his eyebrows, changeling me if I will said anything that would provoke him, I didn't. If I do that he will change his mind and wouldn't do it.

Inoichi go out for a moment, he inform his colleagues not to interrupt him for a moment, he then got back again and walking towards Kiyoko. He knelt beside her, then look at me. "You wanted ne to do it now?"

"Yes, remove it from the moment she heard the fight, but don't remove my genjutsu"

"You are well prepared" I know that's not a compliment. With that he starts.

"Don't forget to tell Minato sama"

"Yes, thank you"

"You should've said sorry instead. You forced me to do something bad" he said as he looked into Kiyoko. She still unconscious on the couch. "Even when I have looked into people's memories for like a million times, I still feel bad every time I have to looked their privacy, I tried to think it's for the case or they let me see so I shouldn't be worried, but now she doesn't let me. I feel really bad"

"Just put her here when you met Minato sama, I can assure you no one go in here, not even me"

"Take care of her Itachi" He left me on his office, not long after that I met Minato and tell him everything.

"At some point I agree with you, but I am completely agreed to Inoichi"

"I understand"

"As you say, I won't tell Hana, you will tell her yourself"

"For now, just go home Itachi, she needs rest. You can ask for a medicine on Medic Division first to reduce the pain that Kiyoko feels when she wakes up" I said thank you then excuse myself, everyone said I was wrong, but I say to myself I was right. I don't know how my parents react when I told them, I don't know what Shisui react too, I decided not to tell Kakashi, it's better for him not to know that, so the chance that Hana won't know will still exist.

Whether it's truly wrong or not, at least for me right now, it's right. We don't know about the future, maybe it will be wrong. Yeah, maybe.

I get back home with Kiyoko, she still under my genjutsu, her things are on the backseat, painting utensils. I feel guilty, yes, but for what reason? Guilty for removing her memories of for not being able to open up with her, I don't even intend to tell her. There's nothing I could offer her, not a friendship, not a lover, I have an intention to get close to her, not as a lover, but every time I tried, something in me always says no.

There's no point of thinking about this when you don't want to change Itachi, get over it. I get out of the car and carried her, I put her on the bed, then looking at the clock, it's 7 pm, I think it's better to wake her up now. I already prepared everything, mom is not home yet, she said she'll be back soon, she already on her way. I release her from my genjutsu, it took her a few seconds to finally opened her eyes.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the late update, my phone was broken and I got an exam, so this is it. Forgive me for the late update and typo also the grammatical eror. See you next time!:)

I wake up, the first thing I feel when I wake up is pain, my head is hurt, I winced, the pain was unbearable, it makes me want to cry, my eyes started watering, I can feel the tears on my eyes, but the only thing I care is my head, what did I do? I close my eyes, hope that will remove the pain, but it didn't, it keeps hurting. Then I feel someone holding my hands, I don't know who is it, I don't want to know, all I want right now is removing the pain in my head.

"Kiyoko?" That's Itachi, but I don't really mind about that, I am too busy thinking what should I do to my head. I can't think of anything else, I can't even think, it feels like I have a surgery in my head right now. I want it to stop, but I don't know what to do.

"It's alright Kiyoko, your head hit the wall, but it's alright, I got the medicine, you should eat first" I want a sleeping pill, so I can sleep and didn't feel the pain. I ignored him, I can't focus on anything.

"Kiyoko, please eat even if it's just a little" i just lay there, not moving, how hard did I hit the wall? I've never experienced this kind of pain before, even when I got a headache. I didn't move, it's too painful for me, I keep cringe I put my palm on my forehead, massaged it gently, hoping it will help, what's happening to me?

Itachi hold my wrist, trying to get my attention, but the excruciating pain win my attention. "Kiyoko, listen, you have to eat, then drink your medicine, and it will be alright"

I cry, holding my head, my head hurts. "Come on, You have to eat, so the pain will go away"

Itachi holds my hand, he caresses my hair, tried to take the pain away, but it still there, no matter how many times he did that. "Come, I'll arrange your pillow so you can eat" Oh God, I don't want to.

Itachi's hand creeps on my back, then on my head, he used his other hand to adjust the pillow, my head keep hurting and I was certain my head won't heal soon. "I can't" My voice breaks, it's too painful to get up at this rate. I don't have the strength to, Itachi stopped for a while and let me lay back on the pillow.

"You already having a bad headache, I don't want you to feel a stomachache too, please eat even if it's just a little" I hate to say that he's right, I keep cringing while he adjust my pillow, he tried to put a spoonful of porridge for me, I forced myself to swallow it. I feel like I wanted to throw up, but I held back. After five spoonful of porridge I finally gave up, I wanted to throw up, the headache is still there, not lessening.

"You have to drink your medicine" He gives me a pill which looks like it's already been crushed so it's easier for me to drink it. He adjusted my pillow and rearranging my cover, trying to make me feel comfortable. I look at him, even when he's busy, he still have time to take care of me when I was sick, I can feel the tears fall, this time it's not because I'm in pain, but I feel grateful that he's here. Maybe I shouldn't keep conplaining why he rarely come home or why he's always secretive about something, at least he's here when I needed him.

"Thank you" I said, then closes my eyes, I can feel I am drifted to sleep, and before I lose my consciousness I can feel a hand caressing my hair.

-

She sleeps right after I gave her the medicine, my heart feels heavy when she said thank you. I am the one who made her like this, I'm the one who caused her to suffer from severe headache, but she says thank you. I feel ashamed of myself, what makes me feel more ashamed is I didn't do anything even when I know I'm the one whose fault.

I sat at the edge of the bed and watched her sleep for a while, this is the best thing that I can do, even though it's wrong, but at the same time it's the right thing to do. I sighed. I can hear the front door opened, I got out of my bedroom and see my mom, she's opening her coat and put it on the hanger. "Mom"

"What's wrong?" I tell her every single thing, after I finished she just looking at me tentatively. "I am completely disagree at your actions, I think Kiyoko will know sooner or later, they say the sooner the better"

I stay silent, don't know what to do, maybe if they were in my position they will understand. "Itachi" I looked at her, she was smiling at me. "Come here" I didn't move, I sit there, still thinking about this matter.

"You're so stubborn!" My mom moved and sat beside me, she pulled my neck forcefully, make me sleep on her thigh. She caressing my hair, like the old times, "You know I do this when you're upset"

"I know how you are now, I know you are confused, I know you tried to convince yourself that this is the right thing to do, I am not agree on your decision, but it's already been done, we can't turned it back, whatever happens to us, must be the best for us, so this choice is also the best for us, you don't have to worry, don't think about 'what if it's wrong?' But think 'what is it's right?' Instead"

"But you still have to responsible for all the things you've done, sooner or later, Kiyoko will know all of this, I forbid you to remove her memories again, so the next time she knows, you must be well prepared for the answers and the consequences. Whatever happened, don't let her go"

I close my eyes and sighed, I can feel my mom caressing my hair, I tried to stay positive, I hate to admit that I stil like it when mom caressing my hair and treat me me like a child. 

"You have to tell your dad immediately"

"I know"

"Who else knows about this?"

"Just you, Inoichi-san and Hokage-sama" my mom stopped caressing my hair, I get up then looking into her eyes. "What about Hana?"

"She doesn't know yet" Now it's mom turn to sighed. She examined my face dearching for something "I knew it, you haven't got the courage to tell her"

"I will, later when I settled all of this"

"Is there anything else you want to tell me?" I know mom wanted me to talk about Kiyoko, about our relationship, but I think I'll manage. "No, it's okay you should rest, good night mom"

I went to my bedroom, and seat on the couch, I leaned and close my eyes, I really feel like I should tell my dad tonight, if he mad then at least all the lecture I felt just happend this day, it's troublesome to save it till tomorrow.

Kiyoko sleeps on the bed, I take the cover up to her neck, so right now it just her face showing. Alright, after I tell my dad I'll sleep. After waiting an hour dad arrived, I instantly said I wanted to talk. He looks at me in the eye, he must have known that something wasn't right.

"Alright then, wait for me in the east wing on the corner room" That's the place where so many unpleasant talks happend with father. I'm going to the room then sit in the floor, waiting for him.

-

I hear footsteps, it gets louder and louder until I heard the door opened, then my father is right in front of me, his body sits upright, he has a no expression on his face, just staring at me intently, he is as stiff as me, the difference is I am stiff because I was nervous, when he always looks like that, stiff with his broad shoulder and with that serious face or should I admit that it's scary?

"I wanted to talk about what happened today, it's related to Kiyoko"

"I am listening"

"I went on a mission today, I am the team leader, when there's a little fight sudden Kiyoko came out of nowhere, then she saw our fight, which I and the other teammates used many jutsu"

I waited for a reaction, but as it usually is there's none. He has a poker face, there's nothing different, not even a raised eyebrows, I sometimes wonder if he even breathe.

"I put her under a genjutsu, then bring her to Inoichi san and ask him to remove Kiyoko's memories. He didn't want to, but I forced him, then he did it, I already told Hokage sama and he didn't agree, and if something happend it will be my responsibility"

"So you haven't told Hana yet?"

"I haven't"

"How could you do somthing reckless like that? When do you want to tell her?"

"I am sorry father, I don't know yet"

"Why did you do this?"

"I just thought it's for the best, I think she's not ready yet" I keep my head down, unable to see his piercing eyes. "Do you know what will make her ready?"

I stayed silent, waitung for an answer. "You"

"You will explain and teach her how to deal with things until she's ready"

"Is that all?" Ask father, I said yes, he said I can go now. I stand, on the threshold when I wanted to open the door he called me. "Itachi"

"When will Kiyoko celebrated her birthday?" There's no point of lying, I don't have one in mind through. "I don't know" Dad just nodding his head and I leave the room.

-

I sit on the living room and turn on the tv, I can't sleep yet, or I just don't want to? I sit while staring blankly at the tv until someone sits beside me. It's Sasuke.

"Can't sleep?"

"Yeah"

"What happened?" I sighed "I don't know how many times I have to repeat this"

"Repeat what?" He's not going to shut up until I tell him. "I went on a mission today and accidentally run into Kiyoko, I put her under genjutsu, then asked Inoichi san to remove her memories, he didn't want to, but I forced him, now the person who knows about this is Minato sama, Mom, Dad, and You"

"You haven't tell Hana yet?"

"Why everyone keep asking about that" this is a rhetorical question.

"What did you expect? She's the Government Relations, she take care of everything which related to what Shinobi did to civilians, she's the one who we have to get the approve of if we want to do something quick, but can't contact the government. In case you didn't remember Kiyoko is civilians"

"If something goes wrong don't drag me, I can't help you. Why I even have to ask?"

"Everyone keep saying that too"

"Which one?"

"That one they don't want to intervene, that it's all my responsibility"

"No offence, but it is. Moreover Hana is kinda scary"

"Everyone knows that"

"She made it perfectly clear"

"What will you do?"

"Except not telling Hana yet? I don't know"

"Let's play, it's been a long time since we've battled"

"Alright then" we played until we were both sleep on the couch.

-

"What a lovely sight in the morning looking at my two boys didn't turn off the tv and messing with the whole living room" That's exactly what we hear after feeling water on our faces.

"Good morning"

"Clean this up before your father sees"

I grab the tissue and wipe my face, we both clean up the snacks that spreads around the floor and arrange the pillow back. Luckily we finished before father could see.

I went to my bedroom to see Kiyoko still sleeping, did I give too much dose of sleeping pills? I don't think so, she must've wake up soon. I grab my clothes and went to the bathroom.

-

I am awake, I can see from here that it's already morning, or is it afternoon? Itachi is in the bathroom, I can still feel the pain in my head, but it's not as strong as it is before. I tried to get up, but when I did the pain on my head increases, I decided to lay down for a while. I looked around, even when I see this everyday, but I kept looking anyway, the shelves were neat, the tv was big, the windows that hide between the curtain was wide enough to let the sunshine come in and lit up the whole room, everything is in the right place, and so am I.

I keep reminding myself over and over again. My relationship with Itachi will work and there's nothing to worry about, he's not seeing anyone so it's okay, maybe it was just him that not really open up to people, just like me. If we tried harder it will work. He take care of me when I was sick, he picked me up in the restaurant before, he treats me well. I am sure this is going to work out.

I get up slowly, the headache is still there, I stopped for a moment before I sit on the edge of the bed and put my foot on the floor. I see something, it's a wallet, I pick it up and looked at the picture. It's Itachi, with a woman. They both smiling at the camera, Itachi's hands on her waist and her hands wrapped around his neck. She has a brown hair like me, and brown eyes like me. The wallet just slipped away from my grasp. It landed exactly where I found it. The headache comes back, this time is almost ast hurt as the first time I wake up yesterday.

I cried not for the pain in my head, but for what I feel. I can hear Itachi opened the bathroom door, I quickly turned around, making him see my back. I tried to suppress any sound, I put my hands on my mouth, hope that will help. "Kiyoko? You already wake up?"

"Could you please get me a glass of water?" I was glad my voice didn't waver. A moment later, I heard the door closed, I ran to the bathroom, and cried.

-

My head feels like it was being punched over and over with a hammer, but nonetheless I still sit on the dining room. Everyone told me that I should get some rest, but I insist on taking the lunch on the table. If I eat alone on the bedroom then I will remember everything and ended up crying. Mikoto prepared everything, she said no when I offered her my help. She told me to sit down while waiting for her to finished preparing.

"Alright everyone our lunch is ready!" Everyone got into the table Fugaku sat in the head of the table, beside him is Mikoto, beside Mikoto is Sasuke and I sit in front of Sasuke while Itachi is on my left side. I didn't look at him, or even take a glance. I am that angry, I just hope he didn't notice and think I was too sick that's why I act like this.

Everyone started to eat and so am I, I lost my appetite, I didn't feel like eating, I take a small portion and stared at it too long, until everyone realises I haven't ate yet. "Kiyoko, is the food alright?"

"It is delicious, there's nothing wrong"

"How come you know it's delicious? You haven't ate it yet"

"Your food always taste delicious"

"Aw that's sweet, but you still have to eat. Do I have to cook another food so you can eat?"

"No, you don't have to, this is more than enough thank you"

"Alright then"

I forced myself to eat, it tastes good, but I don't feel like eating. I stopped for a minute and look up, everyone is looking at me, even Fugaku did. As soon as I realised they pretend like nothing happened. "We're worried about you" said Mikoto, Sasuke who's beside her nodded his head, and so is Fugaku.

"I'm okay"

I don't know if the pain in my head lessened or is it just me who's being used with the pain, but it feels better. Or is it because I eat? I finished my dinner, luckily I just take a little, I'm already full.

I waited there until everyone finished with their food. I hold the spoon in my hand, and look at it, but my mind is somewhere else. I don't want to think about the photo, but it's the only thing that's on my mind. No matter how many times I tried to oush the thought away, it keeps coming back like a boomerang.

If he loved her that much then why aren't they together? And the other things that bother me is why we kind of looked alike? We have the same brown eyes, we even have the same shade of hair, with the very same long and straight hair. She also have the same pale face, even though I was paler. Maybe he somehow can't have her, so he searched for someone who looks like her, I don't exactly looked like her she was prettier that's obvious we just share the same features.

"Kiyoko" Someone suddenly touched my hand, I gasped and found that it's Mikoto who touched my hand. Everyone was looking at me, again. "Kiyoko, it's okay if you want to go first we totally understand it, you should rest now, you really are unwell"

I excuse myself and go to the bedroom, with the exact same thought in my head. Maybe he just agreed to marry me because I my features look a lot like the girl in the picture, maybe every single time he was with me he thinks of her, maybe I'm here just for a replacement of something he couldn't have.

And when I think again, he's also here so I could have something that I couldn't have before, a family. Isn't it fair?

I really wanted this marriage to work out, but if the reason he wanted to love me is because I look like the girl on the picture, can we call it love? That means he doesn't love me because it was me, but he loves me because he wishes I was someone else.

I just sat on the bed, the headache was long forgotten, I know I should talk to Itachi about this, but even I can look at his eyes right now. They say the newlywed will feel like the world is belong to them, everything will be beautiful, but it wasn't. I should ask an advice from Akane neechan?

But before I got married, Mikoto said if I got a problem I should discuss it with Itachi himself, because it might related to his work or it might be confidential, but if after I discuss it it doesn't work then I can ask another people opinions and talk about that, she said I could talk to her, but I just got the feeling that she knows the woman on the picture. Itachi is close to his mother so she must have known her, but she never tell me. Well then again nobody ever told me anything, so I'm starting to get used to it.

I get up of the bed, I wanted to go to the bathroom to wash my face, or maybe to cry? Let's decide that later. When I walk, suddely the bedroom door opened, Itachi was there, seems like the lunch already ended. Am I thinking that long? He stood there for a moment, looking at me the same way I looking at him. Confused of what to do.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine" I said, this time there's no smile on my lips. After answered his question I got in to the bathroom. It's going to be like this isn't it? He asked if I was okay, but never tell me anything. It's going to be this flat and we're going nowhere.

Suddenly I remember about the painting utensils I bought yesterday, I haven't seen it yet. Did it fall when I was passed out? I try to recall the incident, I was walking then suddenly met Itachi, is the painting utensils still in my hand at that time? I tried harder to remember it, but suddenly the headache came, my head hurt so bad Until my body swayed. My right hand is holding my head while my left hand tried to propped myself. I suddenly can't take it anymore. I fall down, my head feel just like the first time I wake up yesterday. Then, I don't know what happened after that, I was too busy feeling the pain until I met darkness.


	12. Chapter 11

"What happend?" Mikoto sits at the edge of the bed beside Kiyoko, she holds Kiyoko's hand to check her pulse and put her other hands to Kiyoko's cheek to check her temperature.

"She just suddenly fell in the bathroom"

"Maybe we should call Sakura" Itachi just stay silent, he also checked for Kiyoko's pulse, it's a little slow than it supposed to. He looked at Kiyoko, he thinks, his mom was waiting for his answer. "I don't think that's necessary"

"Itachi"

"But, Sakura didn't know this yet"

"This is emergency" Itachi was thinking, should he called Sakura or not, maybe this happend before? Maybe this is normal for someone who had removed their memories before. I'm trying to hide this secret, I don't intend to tell anyone else.

"Itachi!" Mikoto can't take it anymore, she looked unbelievably at her son, this is a critical condition, but he still stubborn.

"If she doesn't wake up in ten minutes we call Sakura"

"You are so stubborn, you just think about yourself. You didn't even think at the consequences of your actions. You didn't prepare for this, do you?" Itachi didn't dare to look at his mom, he looked down thinking about what his mom are saying.

"You didn't even care for her Itachi, this is about her health, I was so surprised you didn't even think for a split second about her. You just said no when I told you to call Sakura, you didn't even waver or having any doubt about your answer, you looked so confident"

"I just tried to hide this secret, you know there are some consequences about what I'm doing to Kiyoko, if Hana knows even if I'm the one who should be responsible for this, because you know this secret there may be some consequences too. I just don't want to drag her to this"

"That may be right, but that's not the first reason why you did this, you did this because you just didn't care, if I were the one who lay here, you won't think twice about calling Sakura, answer me am I wrong?"

Itachi can't answer his mom question, he hates himself, he hated that his mother was right abiut him being so careless to Kiyoko. "It's already two minutes since Kiyoko passed out, we will wait eight minutes more until we called Sakura"

Mikoto was heading outside, but she stopped when she hold the holder. "You're grounded"

"What?"

"I'll talk to your father about this, but you're grounded, I'll tell you later what kind of punishment it is" Mikoto left Itachi. Itachi knows it's no use of convincing her mother to think again about the punishment, it was his fault too, but the thought of grounded in the age like this is humiliating.

-

"Thanks for coming, so as you already know about the missing of Uchiha Hisao. We already checked at his house, but haven't found anyhing on it. Then, we leave a tracker on his house, if someone gets in, we will know, and the door will locked automatically until we get there. And there's someone who tried to get in. We can catch him, so this is him"

There's a picture of a guy, he has a tan skin, big nose, and a bald head. "We also put a CCTV, and from it we can see he is rummaging around Hisao's things, he's searching for something, when we tried to ask him about what he's searching for he didn't tell us, which is no surprise. So, we decided to go read his mind with the help of Inoichi-san but it seems like someone already prepared for that, because his memory only contain of someone who tell him to look after every information about Hisao and Hisao's face"

"That means the one who told him to do this is a shinobi" said Minato again.

"So we searched for his personal information, and found that he is a teacher at a middle school, but he stopped teaching three months ago"

"His name is Shiro Arata"

"Really? A guy like that? Teacher? Middle school?" Said Shisui, he knitted his eyebrows, looking very unsure.

"Yes. And we already searched on all CCTV to found where is he came from, so we could know who told him to do this, but we only find few" the picture changes into his daily life, he is walking to the school, standing outside a restaurant, and buying something.

"He lives a normal life, and we haven't found anything unusual about him from all the pictures we got"

"Oh, we also have some contacts of people who knows him well. And their address, and I already asked Kakashi and Shikamaru to investigate it, from the investigation we can conclude all the response, which is 'He said he will start a new life somewhere, and told us not to bother or search for him'" he continued.

"And based on the investigation he didn't know any shinobi"

"That's strange" Itachi said. "We also think so, whoever it is they prepared really well, and that means they are also a Shinobi because they can erase people memories" Minato said while averting his eyes for a moment from the picture.

"Each of you will receive the picture, just in case we miss something and you can found it. Now, any suggestions?"

"How about the students?" Said Shisui "I mean you already searched for his closest one, but how about his students? Sometimes there's a student who's close to the teacher"

"That can be possible, but how do we get into the school? We don't want to make anyone get suspicious, we haven't found something behind why Hisao is missing and why Shiro Arata was involved"

"The usual? We transform into one of the teacher and tried to get the information while we put genjutsu into the teacher" Said Shisui

"Meaning we have to tell Hana first before the investigation begin" Says Minato, he tried his best not to look at Itachi, this sentence was supposed to offend Itachi, but Minato didn't want to make it clear.

"That's the only way that I can think of"

"Any other suggestions?" Minato asked, but no one answered "Then we use Shisui's idea"

"How about investigating Hisao more deeply?" Kakashi leaned back to his chair, continued to investigate Shiro Arata was a right decision, but we still can't forget the main problem, Hisao.

"That's also what I think, but we already search as much as we can, but we got no lead"

"How about searching Hisao's face in all CCTV?"

"I forgot to tell you, but we already did it, it just a usual activities"

"Can we all get the pictures? Just in case you miss something" Minato nodded, agreed witg Kakashi. "Alright, any other opinions?"

"How about a market where he bought food? I mean usually we are close to the owner if we always buy there" Itachi finally speaks, his mind has been clouded for a while with Kiyoko's problem. Well, not Kiyoko's but his own problem that involves Kiyoko.

"Well we can get information from that person too, thanks Itachi. So, I take it, Uchihas clan didn't have someone who close to Hisao?" Itachi nodded "We don't, Hisao is a bit private"

"Alright so, the conclusion is I will broadcast the picture of Shiro Arata and Uchiha Hisao from the CCTV and Shisui because you're the one who suggest it you will be the one who searched about Shiro Arata, I will assign Ino with you, both of you can checked someone's memories while you're in the school. And Itachi, I will pair you with Kakashi to investigate more about Hisao"

"Now, we change into another matter which is Nii Yugito case. As you know Itachi got some trouble while investigate about it, so I have assigned other teams so they won't pursue Itachi. We also checked every CCTV, to search Nii Yugito, according to Itachi's investigation it seems like they were two Nii Yugito. The first is the one who got an accident on the junction, because of a tree like what Raikage said. And the second one was on the intersection, the one who's the owner of the restaurant said"

"We have been searching all the CCTV records of Nii Yugito in the past three months, but in the night of the accident, all the records on the CCTV in the intersection was gone"

"Like literally gone?" Asked Itachi. "Yes, it's gone from 20.00.53 until 22.15.44 two hours and fifteen minutes"

"The accident that happend at the junction was in 20.58.32"

"Remove the CCTV for two hours was too much, don't they know someone will get suspicious of that?" Shisui asked. "Can we recover the files that had been deleted?" Itachi asked Shisui.

"It depends, now all the CCTV has been connected to the government, we have to ask for the code to government, but if this person was so good then we might not be able to retrieve it back"

"Karin, go asked the government about that" says Minato, too many times were lost for this case and they haven't got any leads. So he won't waste any time again.

"What about Raikage?" Asuma asked, "He didn't say anything which was weird"

"That's really weird, he told us not to investigate, but when we did he didn't do anything"

"There's more than a car accident after all"

"Maybe there's other party on this problem, maybe it's not only Raikage's doing, there is someone else's too" said Ino, everyone was looking at her now, including Minato. They agreed at her opinion. "But we don't have the proof yet"

"So you haven't said anything about our investigation to Raikage even though we get caught, but he didn't do anything anyway. So it's okay to continue?" Said Shikaku.

"I already said sorry and explain to him about why we insist on investigate it, but he didn't say anything. I think it's okay because we already investigate it, and we can't just stop here when there are still many unanswered questions and it's also suspicious so I insist on keep investigate this problem" Everyone said they were all agreed, the Raikage's behaviour was suspicious and also two incidents who had the same victim that happend at the same place.

"Any questions or suggestions?" Everyone was silent, they already understand the situation, but didn't find any suggestions yet. "Then Shisui after this you tried to retrieve the CCTV record, then tomorrow you and Ino will investigate, and rest will continue their investigation about Nii Yugito accident"

-

"Isn't this strange?" Shisui asked Kakashi while eating his lunch. "What?"

"I mean whoever told Shiro Arata to rummaging around Hisao's house must know that he will get caught, is this a trap or a bait or something like that?"

"Maybe it is, but what kind of trap?" Kakashi asked while sliding the screen on the table checking Hisao's picture one by one to see if there's anything weird. His ears is listening Shisui, but his eyes are scanning the picture.

"Hmm, I'm still thinking what kind of trap"

"Help me thinking Itachi!" Said Shisui to Itachi who's just stare at his food without eating it. "Seems like he already thinking" Kakashi adds, stil looking at the picture.

Itachi still think about what happened before, but then he just ate his food. "I don't know what kind of trap"

"Kakashi! There you are! I have been searching for you these days, seems like you're too busy until you forget about your best friend" Guy suddenly sit beside Kakashi with his spirit and fierce passion. Kakashi sighs.

"I'm kinda busy" Kakashi keep his eyes on the picture, there are so many things to do already. "You forgot your number one rival here! You ignore me!"

"Later Guy, after I finished all off this" Guy crossed his arms "You also said that on your last mission"

"Really?"

"Shisui! Itachi! How about you become my new rival while Kakashi is busy? Don't worry my friend, you will be my one and only eternal rival" He said while putting his arms on Kakashi's shoulder.

"No, I'm also busy" said Shisui, Guy was looking at Itachi, he just eating without even realising Guy was talking. "Itachi?" Guy called for him, he turned his head on Guy in confusion.

"Forget it, he doesn't want to" Says Shisui. "So you have a free time right now?" Asked Shisui.

"No, after this I have a mission, but even if I have the mission I will still challenge Kakashi, to strengthen our friendship and because he is my number one rival" He said with so much passion, Shisui almost feel the table burned because of his passion. "Hmm" Shisui nodded, even if it's not the first time he sees Guy said about the rival and challenge thing , but he still don't get it, he just pretend like he did.

-

After finished with his lunch Shisui go back to work, Karin told him that she just got the code from the government, Shisui tried to retrieve the record, even if he's working on field, he's also good with computers, even his skills is better than Karin.

Shisui takes some time with the computer in front of him, Konoha Office has the fastest signal in Japan. So connection is not a problem, neither does the skills of Shisui's typing. He finished inserting the code, but he found nothing.

"It's weird" Shisui decided to called Minato to confirm this, he contacted Minato through a video call. "Shisui?"

"It's about the video, I already tried the codes, but I don't find any videos, this means the video has been removed, but the weird thing is for what? This video must contain something important until the government delete it"

"I will ask it to the government, but is there any other way to retrieve the records?"

"I don't think so, but I'll figure it out" Now Shisui is doing something again to retrieve the records while Minato phoning the government asking for an explanation. Shisui still trying to get back the video, but to no avail. While trying to get the video, he's thinking of what did it relater to until the government remove the video. He also thinking if the government was related to this.

He hasn't get the answers for the questions he just think, but other questions already popped up on his mind. About Uchiha Hisao, if the one who kidnapped him was a shinobi why bother to search Hisao's things now? Not when he kidnapped him, before Konoha knows he was suddenly gone?

Shisui is positive about this is a trap, that whoever did this, has other motive, but he doesn't have the proof yet. Looks like he will stayed up all night just to solve this problem.

-

Kakashi's day was not very different with Shisui, he flipped through the picture looking again and again, still sure he can have something from it. People make mistakes, so even if this person hide it very well, he must have a mistake that will expose himself. But so far, there isn't any that he can find.

Maybe they're right, maybe there are no evidence on these picture, but his feeling told him otherwise. He opened his computer and watch all the records of Uchiha Hisao.

After spending five hours watching the video, Kakashi finally found something, he knows where Hisao usually takes his way home, and there's one CCTV near kindergarten, he must've passed that way, but of all the pictures and records there isn't any records from that CCTV. Kakashi instantly made his way to Hokage's office.

"I found something" Kakashi said as he opened the door after hearing Minato says come in. He stepped inside and found there's Shisui to on that room. "I forgot my manner, sorry, but I have something to tell"

"It's okay, what is it?"

"From all the CCTV records we got, I know which way Hisao took his way to his home everyday, but there's no record from one CCTV near kindergarten. Which means someone already deleted all of it, or they already blocked our access"

"I just talked to the government, he said he didn't do anything with the CCTV records, and he will do his best to find out what's going on. So I think there's something going on inside the government right now, and from what I see maybe the government knows something about Nii Yugito incident"

"The time Nii Yugito had an accident and Uchiha Hisao's missing is close" said Shisui.

"It is, Shisui, can you get the records from CCTV near kindergarten that Kakashi was talking about?"

"Maybe, well let's see"

"Is there anything else you found?" Ask Minato, Kakashi said no in response, Minato was quite for a while, he didn't tell both of them to get out he closed his eyes for a while then opened it again. "Two CCTV records were gone, interesting"

"Kakashi tomorrow before you investigate about Hisao come to the meeting in the morning, because tomorrow Shisui must come to school in the morning you don't have to come. Now you tried to teack the CCTV, then you can go home. Kakashi, you can go home now"

Kakashi and Shisui excuse themselves, they go out and both of them were busy with their own mind. "I'm sorry, because of me you have to stay a little longer"

"Huh, it's a usual thing, you always make me stayed up this late, you're a cruel senpai" Kakashi laughed at his remarks.

"It's not like that, alright then Shisui ganbatte kudasai!" Kakashi said while pat his shoulder, Shisui just said yes, then lazily walked out to his seat to track the CCTV.

-

Kiyoko still thinking about the girl in the picture, she thought about it a lot until she almost forgot about her graduation, it's in a few days and she hasn't prepared anything, not that she has to, but her friends were really prepared and talk about that a lot, they already reserved some tables at a restaurant and so on.

She has other thing in mind, if Itachi is still into the girl why marry Kiyoko? And if she so keen on taking a chance with Kiyoko, why he still has her picture? She knows she won't get the answer if she just think all by herself, she has to asked someone, specifically she has to ask Itachi, but she doesn't have the guts to.

Itachi come home late, he already text her, but it's 12.03 am and he hasn't come home yet. She checked her phone again, her last chat was a group chat, it's from Emiko who says they should met up to celebrate their graduation. The tile hasn't been announced yet, but she want to. Kiyoko replied 'ok' with a little hope someone will answer and cheer her up while accompanying her because she can't sleep, but no one answered, of course tomorrow was a weekday, they must have been asleep by now.

On the other hand, Itachi already search in the market, asking about Hisao, the owner said he hasn't come here anymore. He also said he know him, from what Itachi could gather he doesn't have any necessary information. When he's about to go home it's suddenly raining, he doesn't bring vehicle, he went to work today just by walking, he went back to the store to buy and umbrella. His phone beep, he checked it and it's Kiyoko.

From: Kiyoko

Are you already on your way home?

From: Itachi

Yes, I will arrived in fifteen minutes

He feels bad to Kiyoko for staying up late, not because he loves her, but because he doesn't and probably never will, but she keeps trying anyway.

From: Kiyoko

I'll prepare the hot bath

From: Itachi

Thank you

Kiyoko thinks so hard before sending the message to Itachi, she decided to try again and forget about the girl. It will work out, it will. But it still hard to press the send button, will he replied? She sends it, then put the phone on her night stand, covering herself from her head to toe, not until one minute later she got a replied.

She prepared a hot bath and wait on the bed, she lay down and tried so hard not to fall asleep, but failed.

Itachi come home, he doesn't need to turn the lights on, he has a clear vision and already knows every single detail of this house. Itachi entered his bedroom and found Kiyoko sleeps on the bed. Itachi takes a quick bath, then lay down beside her.

He can't help but always think she looks like her, Kiyoko really resembles Izumi. Itachi suddenly feels like Kiyoko is Izumi, even though he knows she's not. His mind was not working well with mystery of Nii Yugito, Hisao, Izumi, Kiyoko, and being ANBU wasn't helping.

'Just for now' he thought. He imagine Kiyoko as Izumi, he pull her close and hug her. The same soft brown hair, soft skin, and petite body, he drew her even closer, inhaled her scent. Both of his arms were circled on her waist, his face on her neck, feeling the warmth of her skin in the middle of the cold night. Strands of her hair tingling his face, makes him want to get closer. They were spooning, Itachi only see her from the back.

Itachi kissed her hair, her cheek, and tangled their legs together, he really act as if Kiyoko was Izumi now. He moved his hand, now it's circling on her neck, he hugs her, hekissed her jaw, and he cried. He cried in silence, afraid Kiyoko will wake up, then after a while he said "goodnight Izumi" then went asleep. With still hugging Kiyoko, or should we say Izumi?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the long update, correct me if I'm wrong, but sharingan can see through memories, right? Hope you enjoy, see you next time:)


	13. Chapter 12

"It's Hana" Hana stands in front of the gate of Uchiha's mansion. She wears a black red stripped shirt with a black pants. Her hair was in a ponytail with a black Gucci bag and red high heels. "Come in Hana!" Says Mikoto happily.

Hana walked into the mansion, no wonder it's massive, the head of Uchiha clan resides here. This place was alsso used as the place of a clan meeting, so basically this house was enough for the entire Uchiha clan. "Welcome back Hana!" Greeted Mikoto on the front door, it's been a while since Hana was here.

"It's nice to be here"

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Mikoto leads Hana entered the house, she wondered if Hana already knew Itachi removed Kiyoko's memories so she decided to come here. 'No' she thought, if she already know she wouldn't be this vivacious.

"Itachi hasn't told you, has he? I already told him that I want to come here because I have interest in Philosophy now, and I already buy a few books, but I want to see Itachi's collection as my reference, so I can buy it later"

"Ah, I understand. Itachi's obsession in Philosophy is the same as yours with Psychology" the two of them walked into the living room, Mikoto was glad it's not about Kiyoko's memories removal.

"But now, Itachi currently has a new obsession, has he?" Mikoto looked at Hana in wonder, really? He has?

"Kiyoko" Mikoto laugh along with Hana, covering her lips with her hands. "But still, no one beats Kakashi's obsession over you" After a few seconds of good laugh, Mikoto invited Hana to take a seat and ask her if she wanted something. "No thank you. Is Kiyoko home?"

"She is, she is painting right now, in her paint room" Hana nodded. "This is Matryoshka doll, and some snacks, my dad just got home from abroad, so he bought a few things"

"Ahh, you don't have to, but thank you. This is your dad, right? How did he got his own Matryoshka doll?" Mikoto hold the doll on her hands, it really is Hana's dad. "He said he knows the owner, and my dad got one hundred doll, there's still ninety left at home if you want to"

Mikoto laughed "One is enough, thank you. This is from Rusia, and oh, it's from Holland? Your dad really goes all around the world"

"He is"

"I can't lie that I also have other thing to do other than look at your library"

"As I already guess"

"I don't want you to misunderstand this, but as the Relation of Shinobi and the government I need to know about Kiyoko, because I have the right to know what happend between shinobi and the civilian. I want to know is Kiyoko already know that you are a shinobi?"

"It's okay, we understand your position, I also understand your concern because you have been in Kiyoko's position. She hasn't know anything yet"

"I'm glad you understand"

"Is she has suspiciousness about something?"

"No, but she might be a little confused when we hold the clan meeting about Hisao, I said it's about work, I was glad she didn't ask any further"

"I respect your decision, I know you are friends with Kiyoko's mother and keep her away from you and Shinobi's life when she was young. Now that she married Itachi so Itachi can protect her, and he can forget about his past. You haven't told her because you were afraid she won't understand what you and your family trying to do, you just did it to protect her, but when will be the best time to tell her? As I see right now, Kiyoko knows you for a quite long time, I think she will understand"

"I am not sure about that"

"Why?"

"You can't just compare Itachi and Kiyoko with you and Kakashi, you both may have the same problem, the girl is civilian and boy is a shinobi, but what makes a big difference in this is You and Kakashi were so in love with each other, you understand he's different and even your life is at stake, you wouldn't let go because you love him"

Hana smiles "And I already used to be in danger, so being with Kakashi, even if it's endangered my life I am okay with that, unlike Kiyiko whose maybe almost never feels threatened, but from what I see, Kiyoko already in love with Itachi"

Mikoto's face didn't show like she's surprised by the fact that Kiyoko loves Itachi, she already know. "So you noticed that too, because she loves him she will never let go too, like I did, she already have ties with your family too from the past few years, she won't just walked away. Family don't abandon each other"

"The fact that Itachi doesn't love her makes a big difference"

"Let's collect all the fact, Kiyoko loves Itachi, but he doesn't love her, that the two facts that you only care about, where there's still some facts like Kiyoko doesn't only love Itachi, she loves your family too, she also know Itachi still hasn't loved her yet, but did she walked away? No. So if you're being honest with her she won't walked away, she might be upset for a while, she will think why you didn't tell her sooner, but after she process all things, she will understand"

"Unless" Mikoto waited for Hana's next words. "You didn't plan on tell her anything, you're planning not to tell her forever"

"I can't believe you really did that! Mikoto san, what kind of madness is this!"

"I want to tell her, but Itachi is the one who doesn't want to"

"Meaning Itachi doesn't show any intention to love Kiyoko" Hana sighed, she understands what he felt, she knows how it feels to lose someone. "I'm sorry Mikoto san, I blame you just now, I understand you just want to protect your son, but you have to remember you have a daughter too right now, you can't just put your son above anything, I know Itachi is your biological child, when Kiyoko is not, but Kiyoko treated you like her real mother, so you can't just put her aside, I'm sure she's been through a lot"

"I already told Itachi, but he doesn't budge"

"Then I have to interfere, don't worry I just want to make them more closer and ipen to each other"

"Well, I tried to, but I have no luck"

"That's why I am here to help you"

"Now I want to see Itachi's book collection, it's there, isn't it?" She said with her finger pointing at her left side.

"It is"

Hana still remember the way to the library, she can go there by herself so Mikoto can think about what they already discussed before. Not just Mikoto, but Hana too, she's thinking about Itachi, death of a loved one is difficult, she can tell, and it's been four years and he still can't get over it. There's no specific or average time for a person to heal, but it will happen.

He has to accept the fact that she's gone, most people think they already accept the death of their loved ones, but they don't really accept it. Their brain already know it, but their hearts don't. When a brain sends signal to the entire body, only one part of the human that can still did otherwise, it's their spirituality.

Itachi marvelous brain already accept and know that she's no longer part of this world, but the heart still can't take it. If the heart can't take it, then their spiritual need can't take it too, together they will crave for what's gone. Even the brain can't think straight on how to heal the spirituality.

Even for these past four years he hadn't get used to be without her. We can do something that we couldn't think we can before because we're get used to it, but if he's not used to it then he has to start from now. The thought of Kiyoko helping might not really true.

Kiyoko must tried hard to make their marriage work, and maybe Itachi tried to, but from the way Hana see it, this might not be the best way. Kiyoko's part on Itachi's healing was just not right, it seems like she just here so Itachi won't get lonely on his room, so the chances of Itachi comitted suicide will decrease because there's someone watching.

Or maybe Kiyoko was here as representation of Izumi, the same straight brown hair and brown eyes makes Itachi feel like Izumi was here. And it's makes the things worse, the brain will continued to think that Kiyoko is Izumi, and that will make Itachi stuck on his past and never accept Kiyoko. Hana doesn't blame Kiyoko, nor did she blame Itachi for doing that, but that doesn't make what Itachi's did was right. Itachi should stop thinking that Kiyoko is Izumi, but if Hana offers her help he won't say yes.

Hana wants to call Kakashi first to tell him about her plan, she's not here only for books and talking to Mikoto, there's another reason.

From: Hana  
To: Kakashi

Can I call you?

 

Not until a minute later Hana's phone rings, it's from Kakashi. "Hello"

"Hello there" Kakashi replied on the other line "Guess, where am I?"

"In the office?"

"No. Inside Fugaku's house"

"No, wait did you planning to do something? You still have grudges?" Kakashi put his palm on her face, the case haven't been solved yet, he doesn't want another problem. "Please whatever you're planning to do, don't do it" Hana is smart, clever, genius, whatever you call it, but no she doesn't do anything stupid she just childish sometimes.

"No, I don't have evil plan. I already told you this morning I'm here to see Itachi's philosophy collection, to talk to Mikoto san, to meet Kiyoko, and to do a double date" says Hana with her right hand holds the phone and left hand looking through the books.

"But if by any chance suddenly I meet Fugaku and he still wanted to fight I will gladly accept"

"You didn't tell me about double date"

"It's a surprise, I want you and Itachi to come here and we have lunch together of course with Kiyoko"

"I'm with Itachi, but I can't right now, we're investigating" Thankfully Hana already got plan B. "Then we have a dinner together"

"I can't after this investigation, Minato sama wants us to immediately report back, we hold a meeting at eight" Hana was started to get annoyed, but she understands the situation.

"What's plan c?" Asked Kakashi, everybody knows Hana always prepared with some back up plan. "We eat together to celebrate Kiyoko's graduation"

"Then that's it" Hana sihhed while leaning on one of the shelves. "There's still plan B point two"

"And what is that?" Itachi eyeing Kakashi who talked on the phone right now, he knows it must be Hana who called him. "After you finished with the meeting you come here to pick me up, then we're going to spend a little time talking with Itachi and Kiyoko, then go home"

"I can't, the meeting will take some time. I don't think it will finish early" Hana slumped on the sofa, seems like there's no other way than eat when they're celebrating Kiyoko's graduation. "Besides.." Hana still waiting for his next words, no one talked for a while.

"You forget, don't you?"

"Forget about what?"

"You're supposed to be here for the meeting tonight, you're the one who's going to tell what's happened to the government. Minato sama already told you two days ago"

"I forgot"

"If I didn't tell you, you wouldn't come tonight because you forgot"

"Oh wait" Hana checked today's schedule on her phone, and the meeting at eight pm was there. "No I wouldn't forget, I already set it on my reminders at six o' clock so I still be there at eight"

"Alright then, see you at eight. Itachi already looked deadly, if I don't hung up now he will used Mangekyo on me" Itachi just scoffs when he heard that.

"I want to talk to Itachi" said Hana half screaming "Huh?" Kakashi was confused, but give the phone to Itachi anyway. Itachi looked at the phone, then at Kakashi, what will Hana said to him?

"Hello"

"You know maybe me and Kiyoko's not a best friend yet, but we will, oh no maybe we're going to be so close we even consider each other a sister. And you know what best friend do when their best friend was hurt? They'd kill" This is not a new thing for Hana to threaten someone, Itachi was not surprised.

Kakashi heard what Hana said to Itachi, he sighed, then snatched the phone "Alright Hana see you at eight"

"See you, mein silbernes Licht" It's usual for them to end the call with a pet name.

"See you, moja sreća"

Hana hung up then continue looking for the book collection. She realised that she has to hurry because she will attend the meeting, and there's still something she wanted to do after this.

About an hour later Kiyoko walked into the library with tray of tea and biscuits. She put the tray on the table, Hana smiled then hug Kiyoko. "It's really nice to meet you"

"You look prettier" said Hana again which makes Kiyoko laugh. "It looks delicious"

"Here, have some"

"I know it, it tastes heavenly"

"Mikoto san said you're painting something just now?" Hana started the conversation, she will start talking to her so she will be more open to her. "Yes, but now it's already finished"

"Woah, you must be really good at painting"

"Ah, no, not really"

"So, you must be here to accompanying me" Hana said and Kiyoko smiles "I am"

"Oh, I just phoned Kakashi, and he's doing a misssion with Itachi now" Hana talks about Itachi, she hopes Kiyoko will take the bait and accidentally saying something.

"Ah, did Kakashi san frequently go on a mission with Itachi?"

"Yes, they're best friends"

Kiyoko was thinking if she should ask or not, she's not really close to Hana, but the only person she could ask is her. "Can I ask about something?"

"Sure, anything"

"Did Kakashi san often tell you about his job, I mean his mission?" Hana is wondering whether she should lie or not, if she's honest then the answer must stay propriate. "Well, he told me about his days which pretty much about his mission, but there are also some mission which is confidential, so he doesn't tell much information because all secrets must stay hidden"

"Oh" Kiyoko just said that then stayed silent for a moment. So one of the reasons of why they're not really close is because Itachi's job, Kiyoko must feel like there's a barrier on their relationship, and Itachi thinks that his job should be hidden too. "Sometimes after the mission they were tired, that's understandable, so I prepared a hot bath and offer them a message. Then, after that I make a tea for him. After that, we lay on our bed, I hug him and ask about his day, if it's not so good then I told him about how my day was going, but I just tell the good part or the funny ones. Then, I told him a heart touching story"

"Heart touching story?"

"It's a story which touch your heart, that makes you believe the world is still good. As you know their work is hard, mostly concerning to bad people, so we have to convince them no matter bad things happend out there, there are still a good thing in this world" Kiyoko understands what Hana are saying, but unable to say any words.

"For instance I will tell you the story about a milk and a girl or I don't know what the title is, but it's popular I think you've already heard it, but well I'll tell you again, the same way I told Kakashi"

"One spring day, there's a boy who's on his way to Pennsylvnia. The trip was long enough, and the sun shines too bright on that spring day, the boys shirt was drenched with sweats, he kept fanning himself with his hands, sometimes he puts his head putside the window, to felt the wind on him. Then the family decided to stop and thankfully there's a house."

"The boy was thirsty so he run for the house, ignoring his parents caution. He knocked the door and there comes a little girl about his age. He told her that he just asked for something to drink, the little girl then come inside for a moment, then come back with a glass of milk on her hands. The boys gulped it until the last drops and give the glass back to the girl. He said thank you with a smile on his small face and go back to the car, where his parent already waiting."

"Couple of years have passed since that day, the boy was already grown up and he became a doctor, the girl also grown up to be a beautiful woman, she went to the doctor to have an operation, and when she finally fully healthy, she opened the bills with a shaking hands, afraid of how much the cost will be. When she opened it, the letter was not what she expected, it says 'Already payed with a glass of milk'"

"The story shows that there is still goodness in this world, this also shows that whatever good things you did, even if it just a small portion will counts. Even the small portion will help you, what goes around comes back around. People might think it just a glass of water, but you have to think you are on the boy's place, he is thirsty, he just asked for a water, but the girl brings milk"

"Sometimes the good things you have done, not only payed by something you realise, it might be payed by something that you didn't realise. For instance, when you cross the roads and from the other side suddenly there's a car coming your way on a high speed, then even though you were so surprised until you didn't move and it seems impossible for the car to stop, but somehow someone come and save you, the car didn't hit both of you. Or it could be other things such as you wake up late for your meeting and then suddenly the person called to cancel the meeting because they had other businesses"

"Small things like that matters"

Hana smiled in such a comforting way, Kiyoko who usually feeling awkward to meet a new person feels relaxed at her presence. Kiyoko is looking at Hana, she was mesmerised since the first time she saw her, she is more than just pretty, she's gorgeous. She has a confidence, she's a very welcome and kind person, she has a good taste in fashion, she also good at making new friends from what Kiyoko's seen. She is also clever, she graduated at such a young age. And well, she can't hide the fact that Hana has a great body shape, her breast were big, even when she is petite, Kiyoko still towers her in height, but for the other part, she's not. 'Kakashi san really pick an excellent wife'

"But I can't tell stories as good as you are, I don't know any stories to tell too"

"You don't have to, because you already show it"

"But" Kiyoko stopped for a moment, thinking should she asked her or not? Hana looks in wonder, waiting for he next words. "How to make Itachi trusts me to at least, talk about his day or his work which not confidential?"

"If you already showed your fondness and give him your attention, but he still doesn't budge, If you wanted to I could to talk to him to, or you could ask someone else like Mikoto, but if that doesn't work out you need to talk about it yourself" Kiyoko is too afraid to tell that herself, she doesn't and probably never will have the guts to do so.

"Could you try to convince him?"

"I will try my best, but I think I will ask his close friends first to convince him, like Kakashi or Shisui" Kiyoko nodded in understanding.

"Don't worry, I'm sure it will work"

"Is it normal for a guy to keep another woman's picture on his wallet when he had a wife?" Kiyoko didn't dare to look into Hana's eyes, Hana was silent for a moment, she's surprised, Kiyoko must've feel really hurt.

"No it's not" If Kakashi did that he will be dead by the time Hana found the picture, or maybe her father will kill him first. "For this matter you have to talk about it with Itachi, I will help you with this matter, but there still some barrier that I can't just tell told you to do that and this because it is your marriage, marriage is between two people and even though I know a little about the girl you're talking about, I insist if you talked to Itachi yourself.

"You don't have to be afraid to asked that, you have every right to know, you and Itachi already pledged yourself in this marriage, he can't just shook this problem off just because he doesn't want to tell you. If you already asked him and he doesn't answers then you should say this, remember this sentence correctly"

Kiyoko listen carefully at what Hana's said, she was sure she wouldn't used that any time soon, but she will.

"From what I can see right now, I think no one wanted to tell me, everyone leaves me in the dark, even Mikoto never tell me anything" Kiyoko was crying, Hana get up and hug her.

"One of the reasons why they didn't tell you yet, is because they wanted Itachi to tell it himself. As I said before, this marriage is about you and Itachi, there are some barrier we can't break. Mikoto and others might feel the same way about this. I'm not saying this because I'm at Mikoto's side, If I were you I would mad at her for not convince Itachi to be more opened with me before the marriage so we could get along well after the marriage, but then again, she must've her reason on why the marriage was too sudden even when you already know Uchiha's family for a while, I will help you, don't worry,"

Hana hugged Kiyoko, they continued to talked after that, until Hana was almost late to attend the meeting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> moja sreća : my happiness (croatian)  
> mein silbernes Licht : my silver light (germany)
> 
>  
> 
> Hi! Thank you for the kudos! I really appreciate it, if you have something to say or some critics to help me improve my story then just tell me at the comments. Thank you. See you next time! I will try to update faster:)


	14. Chapter 13

Hana doesn't have to struggle running with her high heels, she already used to it, her ponytail swaying as she run, she feels bothered then she took it off, her straight wavy hair falls, some strands of her hair falls on her face, she brush it and keep running. No, she wasn't late yet, but she has to do touch up. The meeting will started in fifteen minutes, and she needs to get to the bathroom as fast as possible.

She took the elevator, and wait, she looked at her reflection on the elevator, the make up still good actually, but she just needed to add a few things so it would be flawless. She quickly walked outside the elevator as soon as it opened, she run through the corridor, the clicking sounds of her high heels could be heard because she's alone in the hallway. 'Maybe they already on the meeting room' she thought.

She looked at her watch, then running. She can hear other footsteps coming in front of her as she slowed down her pace. Then, the two of them showed up, it's Kakashi and Itachi. Hana run and wrap her arms around Kakashi's neck, now she's wearing high heels so Hana doesn't need to tip toeing.

"Ah, I see you didn't forget the meeting" Kakashi circled his hands around Hana's waist and his other hand is on her head. "I hope you didn't muddle my library" said Itachi, but Hana pretends like she didn't hear him. Itachi was waiting for the sarcastic reply, but he didn't get it.

"Do you found what your looking for?" Asked Itachi once more, start a conversation, he tried to be normal around Hana, he's afraid that somehow she knows about the memory removal. "Did you bring your car?" Asked Hana to Kakashi, Kakashi took a glance at Itachi, he's confused why Hana didn't answer him.

"I did"

"I left mine at home. Alright I have to go to the bathroom, I'll meet you in the meeting room" Hana kissed Kakashi on his cheek then walked to the bathroom, but of course before that she threw a death glare while stepping her heels on Itachi's foot then intentionally bump her bag to Itachi.

After she left Kakashi and Itachi looked at each other in understanding. "What did you do?" Asked Kakashi, Itachi knows this isn't about the memory removal, she would do a lot worse if it's about that.

Now he thinks about what Kakashi asked, if he put it in chronological order he was fine the last time he met Hana, then Hana came to his house and then here she ignores him. "I don't know"

-

"Thank you for coming by the way. Now, we're here to discuss about some problems. It's regarding Nii Yugito and Uchiha Hisao, first I want to know all of your investigation report, starts from Shisui"

Shisui stands and went to the center of the room. "So I did an investigation with Ino in the school where Hisao teaches, we looked into their memories and found nothing"

"And aside from the mission, Minato sama asked me to search for the lost CCTV records, there are two missing CCTV records, the first is the place where Nii Yugito got an accident, and the second is the place near kindergarten that Hisao walked everyday"

"I already got the access to the CCTV near the kindergarten, but some days are missing, when I contacted the government, they said that they didn't do anything on the CCTV and had no idea where is it. The CCTV records that I already watched were all normal, so I guess the missing records were the ones that have lead, whoever tried to hide it must be the one who's connected to Hisao's missing"

"As for the CCTV records in the intersection where we can said Nii Yugito number two was having an accident, I already asked the government, but they said the didn't do anything on the CCTV, but they will try their best to retrieve it"

"We also checked the message and all calls on Hisao's phone number, but found nothing suspicious, so whoever this person that kidnapped him, must meeting him in person or maybe he's faster than us, so he already wiped out all the history"

"That's my report, thank you" As Shisui seats, Minato called for the next person who will read their investigation. 

"I want to tell you the investigation that I did with Itachi. We're investigating on Uchiha Hisao's case, after receiving the CCTV near kindergarten we found nothing important, so I guess there's literally something in those days which the CCTV being repaired. So we ask people near the CCTV about what they saw when the CCTV getting repaired, and from one of them we got the information that Hisao talked to this guy, according to one of the teacher in kindergarten, Mrs. Ozawa, it's Shiro Arata"

"But we couldn't be so sure about is it the real Shiro Arata or not, but he said that they talked at night"

After Kakashi was done, Shikamaru was next, he looked like his really lazy to do this, but he had no other choice. "I did an investigation to Nii Yugito case with Kiba, and Hinata. We didn't get anything at the junction scene, but after watching the CCTV records, there's peculiar thing, which is Nii Yugito is in Tokyo at 10:01:56 am, then she's caught in Nagasaki CCTV at 11:07:00 am. With just one hour she can move from Tokyo to Nagasaki, which is impossible"

"This makes our suspicions about there are two Nii Yugito even stronger. That's why I want to ask for help to Hana neechan to look at every video so you can see if there is different behaviour of Nii Yugito, to make us certain there literally is two Nii Yugito"

Hana nodded in understanding, Shikamaru was done with his report, and the next is Asuma. "Me, Shino and Choji was investigating the accident in the intersection, the people around the intersection didn't know a lot about it, or maybe someone already prepared for that, so we didn't get much information. About CCTV we haven't seen it, because the records were gone for two hours, we tried to get the CCTV records around that area, but it also gone in the same hour"

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura just watch the report with full attention, they're going on another mission so they just know a little about this problem.

Now it's Inoichi turn to inform his mission with Team Seven. "I did this mission with Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke. We finally finished the murdered case of Haru, Akihiko's daughter. The one who kills Haru is Jessie, she's a foreigner who has been in Japan for two years, we investigate her, but she won't cooperate so we look into his mind and found that the K's Water First Vice President, Fumio told her to kill Haru"

"We already have Jessie, and Minato san says it's the best to do Mind Body Switch jutsu over Jessie's body and made a video of confession, we already talked to Hana and she granted it"

"We also searched where K's Water got all their money after the chaos before, they got it from Sun Bank, we haven't figured out what's the connection between those two until Sun Bank borrow them the money when everyone knows K's Water was going bankrupt soon, but I saw it yesterday that their stock is up again. There are still no exact numbers on the money that Sun Bank gives, and I'm still trying to figure it out. That's all thank you"

Hana walked to the center of the room after everyone already read their report. "The last time I met with the government was yesterday, I asked about why they're messing with the CCTV, and they said they didn't, and they also said the same thing they said to you, that they will do their best to retrieve it"

Karin suddenky raise her hand and everyone turned into her. "Why Karin?" Asked Minato. "I just got the records of CCTV in the intersection from the government"

"Alright we watch it after Hana's report is done"

"Thank you Minato sama, from the way I see it and most of you already guessed to, there's someone in the government that did this, because he has fully access and information, he also well prepared and hired shinobi. I will tried to look information inside the government because I have fully access into it, as for the CCTV I have the access too, but seems like whoever it is already remove some of the evidence"

"And I just want to tell you that the CCTV records that the government just sent to us, maybe fake"

"Because it just gone, and suddenly they just give it to us, so there must be something strange in that, but well let's see"

They played the video, watch it carefully, and see if there's something strange. Until the video ends, no one saw something odd that they were looking for.

"The girl is not Nii Yugito, I think that what's strange about this video" says Shisui.

"But it does resembles a little"

"And the dress resembles too"

"Did someone have the real picture of the intersection?" Asks Hana.

"I already sent it to everyone" says Karin, everyone checked their touch screen tables, zoom in the picture.

"Does Tsunagakure already got something from Gaara incident? Maybe if this somehow connected we can get the lead" Says Shikaku.

"I already asked Kazekage to send me an update if he found any, but until now they still haven't got anything" Answered Minato.

"Everyone got permission to checked people's memory, but you still have to report that person's information to me" Says Hana, she knew they run out of time, and the evidence is getting smaller, there's no other way.

"How long does it take for Jinchuriki to revive?"

"No one knows for sure"

"So if we wait for a quite some time for Jinchuriki to revive and it did it means Nii Yugito dead in the car crash, but if it doesn't then, she not dead yet?"

"Theoretically yes, but we don't know how long should we wait"

It was silent for a moment, nobody knows what to do, they're thinking. "How about her credit cards?" Asks Shikaku.

"Well she paid the restaurant on the junction with cards, and there are no other suspicious activity with her cards"

"How about in Nagasaki? Do you found any transaction? Or a transportation tickets perhaps? To reach Nagasaki?"

"No we don't"

"So the girl in Nagasaki is not Nii Yugito?" Asked Inoichi, "I think so"

"It's too soon to conclude that" Says somebody on the threshold. Hana rolled her eyes, then huffed in annoyance, she can't hide the annoyed tension if he's around. "You started the meeting without me" He walked inside with one cane on his hand to support him.

"I think you didn't come, and we're in hurry so we must start as fast as possible"

"And Hana, I used to be bothered by you showing your dislikeness, but now I think I already used to it" Said Danzo, Kakashi looked at Hana, he tried to remind her not to say anything that makes him angry, Kakashi just don't want her to be involved or getting the impact of whatever Danzo is doing. But instead of doing what Kakashi said she winked at Kakashi, and now it's Kakashi turned to be annoyed.

"Well, glad that we finally come to an understanding"

"Someday your mouth will got you into a big trouble"

'Same as your slyness will got you into your death and you're arrogance will be no more' that's what she wanted to say, but she's sure if she says that Kakashi will drag you out of the room.

'Already happened, but thanks for the advice I will keep it like you kept your right eye' she also wanted to say this, but then he will reply 'At least I don't steal my friends eye' which refers to Kakashi even though he doesn't steal, he will still says that, then both of them will have a never ending argument until there's no meeting but instead there wil be a debate between the two of them. She chooses to remain silent, while clenching her hands.

Danzo walks to the empty chair and sit, then Minato continued the meeting. "So, why did you think it's too soon to conclude that?"

"Simply because there aren't enough evidence to support this matter. Maybe someone buy it for her, or maybe someone did this so we think that there are two Nii Yugito, so we will investigate this problem while they're doing another thing that we aren't aware"

"That makes sense" says Minato, then he continued "but even if they did, we don't know where to start looking"

"So, my opinion is, we still should checked if there are two Nii Yugitos, and for your information she didn't have a twins, we also have to investigate further for Hisao and Shiro Arata, have we checked into their credit card transactions?"

"Yes, we already did, but still nothing is out of ordinary"

"Try to compare between their credit card transactions, and find if there are the same transactions" Says Minato. Karin then put both of their credit cards on the screen, then compare it. "Nothing"

"How about bank account?"

“Well, Hisao received money from someone named Akita, and month later  
Shiro Arata sends money to Akita, it’s the same bank account”

“His full name is Akita Fujiwara”

“Shisui, search the information about Akita Fujiwara” Shisui instantly  
searched his name and connect it to the screen, a middle age man come  
to the screen. “This is Akita Fujiwara” said Shisui.

"K's Water?" Sakura said after looking the information on the screen. "Yeah, that K's Water"

"So this is the new Second Vice President" Minato examined the information carefully. "Shisui, search for his last activity from the past three months, Karin, search if he ever met Hisao, Shiro Arata, Nii Yugito or any other Shinobi"

"By the way Inoichi do you have any other information from K's Water when you investigated Haru's death?"

"I don't"

"I think I know" said Naruto

"When we do the mission, sometimes we split to find out some information. I turned into one of the workers there, then someone asked me if the Golden Mission already on the run, I don't know what to say so I said 'don't ask an important question on the room with CCTV like this' then I left him"

"Do you still remember who asked you that? Do you get the name?" Minato asked his son "I still remember the faces, but I don't get their names"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Said Inoichi "I don't think that's important until just now" says Naruto while smiling and scratching the back of his head.

"How's it going Shisui?"

"I already found all the CCTV records and his schedule for the past three months, I checked his schedule and found that he has a meeting with Fumio"

"For what exactly?"

"I don't know"

"Alright, how about Karin?"

"He hasn't met the three of them or any other shinobi"

"Alright, keep looking for more information" Suddenly Fugaku raised his hands. "Yes?" Says Minato.

"I know you already know this, but I think everyone should know about this too, that Hisao has Mangekyo Sharingan"

"It's the eye which activated by seeing the death of your beloved someone, and it contains power, and on a certain level, it can controls bijuu, like what Madara did back then. So, all I'm saying is maybe there's a relation between Nii Yugito's death and the missing of Hisao, but I don't have the proof yet"

"Now what do we do to Akita?" Asked Itachi "We should asked him without making him getting suspicious to us"

"I know, and without him know that we are shinobi either. We should make a scenario to meet him too" Hana raised her hands.

"Shisui, could you find out his schedule for next week?"

"Alright"

"I found it, then?"

"What is he doing on 24th Saturday?"

"Ahh, he has to attend the charity events at six pm in Ritz Carlton, Tokyo" Hana smiled in victory "What a coincidence, my dad have the invitation too. And he also got the private party invitation"

"Alright, we use that opportunity"

"Then we can just looking into his mind"

"Do you think we should follow him?" Itachi said. "Maybe after this he will have a meeting which have a relation to this problem" he continued.

"Yes, so we should put tracker on him"

"Alright, so anymore questions?" No one answered Minato, that means everything was clear as a day.

"Then, Ino you will be going to the charity events, because you're also a medic ninja, you will put the tracker, and heal him, and cover the scars, then Shikamaru and Hinata will accompany you. Hana, you will watch the video, and tell your father about our plan, and don't forget to bring the invitation, we need to copy that. Inoichi, please go to Mrs. Ozawa and other teacher and look into their memories, maube one of them saw something. Shikamaru, you will watch the video of Nii Yugito at the intersection, hope you can see something's wrong"

"Kakashi, you will be watching the CCTV records of Akita Fujiwara, Karin you will looking into whatever email and telephone history of Akita Fujiwara, then Asuma you will be in charge of find out what's really happend inside the K's Water, and I will pairs you with" before Minato continues Fugaku raised his hands.

"I will help him on this mission"

"Great idea" Says Minato while smiling awkwardly and scratching the back of his head, like father, like son.

"Itachi, you will help Inoichi taking care of Fumio and Jessie. Now, I think that's it, we can move on to the next problem, this is about our Academy"

-

Itachi is on the elevator now, Inoichi already told him what to do to make the announcement of Jessie and Fumio. He's looking through his reflection on the elevator door, thinking about himself. Now he knew why Hana ignored him, she already talked to Kiyoko, Kakashi just asked him if he wanted to talk, but he didn't want to.

"Itachi" Kakashi called him after the meeting, he stopped for a moment while waiting for the next words. "A word please?"

Both if them walked to an empty hallway to talk. "Alright, so the reason why Hana was not talking to you is because he talked to Kiyoko and I think she figured what happened between the two of you, she doesn't tell me about the problem, but I can already guessed you haven't been close"

"I'm not doing this because Hana told me to, but because I had to, I don't know if the problem was this serious, but if you want to talk you can talk to me or Shisui, if you feel like talking to your family is still not enough" Itachi just looked at him and sighed.

"Well, is there anything you want to say to me?"

"No"

"And now I wonder if we're truly friends"

"We are best friends"

"Oh shut up"

"If we're best friends then tell me, so I can help Itachi, if in the next few weeks you don't solve this problem you know that Hana will intervere, she has the right because her position, you know that, don't you?"

"I know, alright we'll talk later, I have to discuss about Fumio and Jessie with Inoichi san" Kakashi just watch him leaving from the back really hope he will tell him later.

Now that he thinks about it, he feels like no one really undertand him, and forgetting a lover is not as simple as that. Even if he tries to act like he's interested in Kiyoko, he knows it's just lying, and feels like he won't forget Izumi, that's why he doesn't want to lie to Kiyoko about his feelings, if he does that, then it's the same like playing with her feelings.

All he can do now is just being nice like a friend. It's not that Kiyoko wasn't pretty, she is pretty, but he still loves Izumi.

He looked down and leaning on his back, he never dated anyone besides Izumi, they know each other since they were children, they grew up together, and also planned to be with each other forever, but their plan vanish that day. Well, everything was vanished that day for him, because she is everything for him.

He agreed to marry her because his mother told him to, and she is one of the Weapon Holdings, even if she doesn't know about this yet, so they must be protected, and his mother owed her mother, so this is the least his mother could do for her

He looked at his reflection once again, he looked exactly at his eyes, her sharingan, but now it has a different pattern, an eye which Izumi gives to him, her last give before she's gone forever, a Mangekyo Sharingan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I try to update as fast as possible thank you for your kudos! I just realised it's been a year already! See you next time!


	15. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for being so late, there's a lot of things happening, my phone get broken, and also there are a lots of assignment but here it is.

Today is the graduation day, and suddenly my friends got their plans cancelled so we will have a lunch together later on. Itachi drives me this morning, we just exchange a few words, and surprisingly he started the conversation. He asked when should he pick her up, she said he doesn't have to, but he insisted, and I told him I will call later.

The graduation ceremony had finished, my friends and I are headed to the restaurant, so many of graduate students here, we can simply look at them by their attire. Nonetheless, we're hungry, and the restaurant around here was already full, so we eat here, in Pizza restaurant.

"Congratulations to all of you who already graduated! I'm so proud of you" says Akane neechan, we clicked our glass and drink it.

We ate and enjoying the food, while gossiping about our friends, well I just listens, Emiko and Masami really have lots of gossips. I just eat half of my desert while Emiko asked me about Itachi.

"So, Kiyoko, how are your marriage life with Itachi?"

I can't lie, if I did they will know, but I am in no mood to talk about this, we just graduaated which made me happy, but I know sooner or later I have to tell them the truth. I stopped eating and everyone was looking at me right now.

"It's not going so well, is it?" Masami asked. There's no use in hiding it for any longer.

"I think he's not going to..." I was going to say love, but that's not the right words. "Accept me"

"Listen, I am here not to push you into saying anything, but because I care about you, I saw this picture on the tumblr that sometimes when we blame our friends for not telling us they actually asked why aren't we asked, so I'm not going to make that mistakes. So I asked what's wrong and I hope that I can help" Emiko says tenderly, I got teared up suddenly.

"I agreed with Emiko"

"Even I can see that you are troubled with something right now, or more precisely, someone" continued Akane.

"So, why did you think he won't accept you?" Eri asked. I tell them everything, until the details of it, even about Itachi's work. I sometimes stopped for a moment because I was crying, I need to take a breath. I don't know how they looked at me, I just looked down.

When I finished my story they went silent for a moment "We should fight him" Eri said as she rolled her sleeves, she looks angry. "No we're not. This is Kiyoko's problem, we can only give her advice, we can interfere on someone's marriage like that"

"I agree"

"Now, about the girl, you really never heard of her? Nobody ever talked about his past?" I shake my head. "Why he agreed on marry Kiyoko if he still has the girl picture?"

"Maybe his mother told him to, she may thought that with marry Kiyoko, Itachi will move on" Akane neechan said.

"Huh, I thought Itachi was the only one who's evil, turned out the whole famiky is evil" said Masami, now that I think about it, I feel like it's kinda true.

"You have to ask him" Hikari neechan said "I agree, if you asked his mother, or whoever it is who close to him, they won't tell because it's not their secrets to tell" Akane neechan adds.

"Do you love him?" Asked Emiko, I just stared at her, everyone was looking at me, waiting for an answers. "Maybe you already felt attracted to him, or maybe right now you already like him, but I understand if you haven't loved him yet"

"But I think what Akane neechan said is true, you must asked him, maybe this is the only way so you both can open up to each other" she continued.

"But that means Kiyoko must opened up about what happend in the past to Itachi too?" Masami asked, I was startled at what she said, she's right, and I'm not ready for that.

"I can't"

"Not yet" Akane neechan said "Your past doesn't affect anything in your relationship with Itachi, while on the other hand, his past played the important role here, you already tried your best to get close with him, but it seems like he didn't try hard enough, the picture on his wallet proves it. So it's okay if you don't tell him about your past yet, but someday, when you already comfortable with it, you must say it" Akane neechan said while caressing my hair softly.

"Agreed" Aiko said. "Huft, but he looks kind the last time we met him, he also looks like he cares a lot for Kiyoko" Masami puts her hands on her cheek, thinking while looking up to the lamps above.

"I'm not surprised anymore, there are so many guys like that. They can act like they care and saying sweet things, but they actually didn't mean it" Hikari neechan said. Now that I think about it, that's true, maybe all of this is just pretend. I can feel tears already fall on my face, Hikari neechan looks guilty, but I don't blame her, she just told me the truth.

"I don't mean it like that, I mean maybe he just like another guy, but a guy can change, right?" She said, Akane neechan sighed and cover her face, and I just keep crying.

"All right, Kiyoko, this is your graduation day, and also the three of you. So we should have fun, and you shouldn't be crying"

"Plus, he come all the way here, from Tokyo to Kyoto just to accompanying you, so that must be something" she said again with a warm smile, I try to believe that he may have something for me, even if it seems possible.

I tried to cheer up again, everyone continued talking, Masami and Eri ordered dessert again because they still want more. I just listened, sometimes laugh a little, I still think about Itachi, about us, can I really say us?

Suddenly my phone rang, when I look at it, it shows that Itachi is calling. My friends encouraging me to pick it up right there, and put it on loudspeakers, I did. "Hello?"

"Hello, I just wanted to tell you that I think I have to go back to Tokyo right now, there's something come up. It's important, I already booked the train ticket for you for tomorrow. I leave it on the desk near TV. I'm really sorry"

"Oh, okay then"

"Alright, see you tomorrow" I don't know why, but we didn't hung up the phone, neither does we talked. We just listening into each other silence, my friends are watching me, I don't know since when, but I'm crying again. Then, I hung up.

-

Itachi is thinking on the library, Hana just told her that she wanted to have a lunch with him and Kiyoko tomorrow, to celebrate Kiyoko's graduation and of course to know Kiyoko better. Kakashi will also come with them, so Hana must plan this to be a double date too.

Shisui already told Itachi, he told him to accept Kiyoko, at least to try, but well it's harder than he thought. He wanted to tell Kiyoko about the lunch, but he still feels bad, he already apologized, nevertheless he knew she still upset about it.

He sits on one of the chair while flipping through the book pages, he didn't really read it, his mind is thinking with so many problems all at once. There was someone outside walking here, he wondered who it is. The door opened and his mom appeared, she looks like she wanted to go somewhere.

"Ah, I know you will be here" she said then walked into him. "Mom, you want to go somewhere?"

"Yes, actually me and your father wanted to go for a lunch, but you and Kiyoko will stay here" Now I understand, she did this to make me closer to Kiyoko.

"And I already told Kiyoko to cook for lunch and dinner, and you have to help her" mom pinch my cheek, I sighed.

"Did I just hear you sigh?"

"I just sighed because you pinch me" She raised one of her eyebrows. "You have to help her, right now. Bye I will leave right now"

I took a moment in library to prepare myself, I look at my phone, it shows 11:33 ok I will go out at 11:40. Is it too long? No, I don't think so. Well, yes maybe. Then I'll go out at 11:35.

When it shows 11:35 I go out and walked into the kitchen, as I was already expected she started cooking without me. "Do you need some help?"

"No, it's fine" That's exactly the answer I expect in my mind. "No, I insist"

"Wash this" she gives me vegetables, I looked at all of the ingredients and knew instantly what she would make. "You want to make tempura, right?"

"Yes"

"Alright, this time I will cook, I know what to do"

"No, I can do it"

"No, it's okay, or you can make lemon tea?"

"Alright" she gave up and let me handle everything. I started cooking and thinking what should I say after this, even thiugh I already apologize, I know I have to do it again.

"This tastes good"

"Thank you, your lemon tea is great"

"Thanks" She said then continued eating, I finished my lunch first, while waiting for her to finished hers, I prepared myself to talk.

"I am sorry for leaving suddenly on your graduation day"

"It's okay"

"I really mean it"

"I know" she never looked me in the eye while we were talking. She took all the plate and doing all the dishes. When she finished I realise that I should've been the one who did that in order to apologise.

Kiyoko finished with the dishes then sit on the living room while scrolling her phone. "Kiyoko" she looked at me "Tomorrow Hana and Kakashi wanted to have a lunch with us, Hana said it's so we can celebrate your graduation"

"Okay then"

I tried to find other things to say to her, to make things aren't awkward, but before I can find one, Kiyoko turn on the television, switching channels. I don't know how long she will do that because we use TV cable.

Like Kakashi, Shisui also give his advice, he even mentioned how I supposed to react, but suddenly I forgot it all. Come on think Itachi, think!

"Can you switch it to the previous channel?" I said, she did that and the show is about philosophy. I am too busy watching it until I forgget that I have to make up with Kiyoko.

The show is interesting, I really am into philosophy, it feels like Kiyoko is boring, not long after that she get up, ready to leave. "Kiyoko"

She turned her head, and I start opening my mouth, but closed it again. I don't know where to start, she turned back again and walked away. "Kiyoko, I need to talk to you"

"I know you've heard this already but I am seriously sorry, I mean, I can't blame it all to my job, because I know I am an adult who can make my decisions, but then again I can't discuss my job with you it's to complicated, maybe someday I will, I don't know when, but I know it will happen"

"So right now you just can't?"

"I can't"

"But why?" She fully turned into me, her voice raised a little, she must've feel upset right now.

"It's complicated"

"I just don't understand why, I mean your parents and everyone said you just couldn't discussed it, and now you ay you can, it's confusing"

"I actually can't for your safety, but if you wished to know there are some procedures that's compllicated, so that's why I said it before that it's complicated"

"So I have to wait?"

"If you want to" Then she just left, I want to keep saying I'm sorry but what advantage does it makes? I should think another way of apologise, and how to make this relationship better, at least decent enough to meet Hana tomorrow or else I'm a dead man.

"Kiyoko?" I get in to the bedroom and found that she sits on the edge of the bed, scrolling through her phone. She looked at me for a seconds then go back to her phone again, I walked closer and turned out that she was playing a game. "I already finished all levels" I said proudly, when I look at it I know exactly which game it is.

"Really?"

"Yeah, in the office when we didn't do anything we sometimes made a competition like that, and I won" she looked at me for a moment, then say a simple 'oh' in reply.

-

Itachi know he has to make a new conversation or it will be awkward. "Is there anything you want to ask me?"

"If I do, will you give me a real answer? Or just left me hanging?"

"Alright, this time I will give you the real answer that I can afford" Kiyoko thinks, she knows she can't ask about the picture yet, because she hasn't got the courage to. Whatever it is, she can't lose this opportunity. There are so many questions until she confused which one she should ask first.

"Why don't you tell me what I need to know?"

"Well, where should I start?"

"About your job"

"I can already tell, well like you know I'm doing a lot of work, sometimes related to the government, sometimes to bad guys, and I did that to protect the country"

"So we can concluded that all of the things, whatever your doing is good right? I mean there's nothing wrong or anything that against the law?"

"Yes"

"What are the qualifications you need to get this job?"

"There are a lot qualification but the most important is you have to be loyal, really good at martial arts, and to have intelligence" Kiyoko nodded, she looks down, thinking what else should she asked. "What's your favourite colour?"

"Pink"

"What about you?"

"I don't have one"

"Did your father also worked on the same office as you?"

"Our father, yes he is" Itachi corrects her, sometimes Kiyoko still hasn't see Fugaku as her father because there are still so many secrets that haven't been unveiled. "And your grandfather too?"

"Yes"

"So this is the kind of job that requires family ties?"

"No, but my family happens to be really fit for the job"

"What about so many people that come here while I was buying things?"

"Do they also worked on the same office as yours?" Kiyoko keep asking about the job, she wanted to know more, no, she needed to know. "Yes"

"Who are they?"

"It's well it's my big family"

"So all of your family worked at the same office, there isn't anyone who worked at another office, or have different job?"

"No"

"So it's family business? So the company is yours?" Even when Kiyoko knows only a little about Uchiha's, but it's palpable that Itachi's family is leading their big family.

"No, it's not, there are also another person in the company not just my family" Kiyoko nodded, she put aside the thinking of questioning about the picture, if she did that maybe his mood will change and he will end this conversation here, and she can't get any other information about his work, and Itachi himself.

"But you're enjoying your work?"

"I am"

Suddenly Kiyoko's phone ringing, Doraemon soundtrack was playing and she answered it while walking outside the bedroom. Itachi was waiting until Kiyoko got back, 'so she likes Doraemon'

Not long after that, Kiyoko come in and sit beside Itachi, her face is bright and her aura radiating happiness "who's that?"

"It's my client"

"You look happy"

"Well, he's from Mirai Corporation and he asked me to paint for their company's mascot and poster for their new branch in Tokyo"

"That's great, congratulations!" Itachi said as Kiyoko smiles, 'she's happy Itachi, don't ruin it' he thinks.

"So you like Doraemon?"

"I do"

"Me too"

"Really?" Kiyoko looks unsure "Yeah, it was a long time ago, I like it when I was a kid, but just a few people know that I still like it until now"

"Wow"

"What's your favourite colour?" Itachi suddenly remembered what his father were saying. "Pink" well, 'why am I not surprised?' Itachi thinks.

Little did she know, Itachi never liked Doraemon, he just randomly said it, so at least they can talk more, Itachi told himself to search more about Doraemon after this, and glad that Kiyoko didn't ask him more about Doraemon.

"How are your friends?" Asked Itachi suddenly thinking about her friends whose he met at the restaurant. "They're fine"

"They must think bad of me right now because I just left you alone at Kyoto"

'Yeah they did' Kiyoko thinks, but she wouldn't say that to Itachi. What advantage does it make?

"It's normal to celebrate your graduation with your friends"

"What are your friends think of me?" Kiyoko thinks carefully, she doesn't know how to respond, she wanted to tell him the truth, but she didn't want to hurt him. "They're a little surprised, but well it's fine"

Itachi knows she's lying, but do nothing, he knows he already apologise, but still forgiving someone is not that easy, especially someone like him.

"I never seen your friends" says Kiyoko. "Well, you have seen them at our wedding, you've seen a lot of them actually and you will meet two of my friends tomorrow"

"I've met Hana neechan before"

"Ahh, yes. How could I forget, you meet her when she's here to looking for philosophy books right?"

"I did"

"She knows about your job right?" Asked Kiyoko, she just remembered her friends advice, to talk to him or to attacked him so he would talk, at least a little information could spill out.

"She is"

"You will know all about it too, but not now"

"Why something important like this has to be postponed?"

"The truth is too complicated, even sometimes for me it is"

"So you think that I couldn't take it well?" Kiyoko is getting more and more impatient with this mystery. It's like he's tricking her.

"I am, but not only you, I mean it's not as simple as you think, there are a lot of.." Itachi stopped there, he almost spilled something. Kiyoko waited for his next words, but it never came out.

"Well, it's just not the right time"

"Well, I guess no matter how many times I tried you will never tell me until you think it's the right time" says Kiyoko.

"Yeah"

"All I can tell that, it's complicated, and it's better to hide it, but I know no one could hide anything forever, but until it's time, you better not know about it, for your own safety"

"Did everyone who works for the company did this? Hiding everything at first?"

"It actually depends, but a lot of people did"

"Including Hana and Kakashi?"

"Yes" maybe there are hope for them, maybe they can settle this too, when the time is right.

"Do you remember anything after you passed out that time? When you bought painting utensils?" Itachi already asked this a couple of times, but he just want to make sure she didn't remember anything. Well, she couldn't be even if she tried, but just in case Inoichi missed something.

"No, it's exactly just what I tell you. Why?"

"Nothing, just worried, do you ever feel dizzy after that? Migraine? Nauseous? Or something that I should know of?" 'Itachi looks worried' Kiyoko thinks.

"Well besides the time when I wake up, I think no"

"You never feel like your head is heavy or something?"

"I'm sure I don't" answered Kiyoko. "Why?"

"Nothing, just to make sure"

"But I think we have to do some scan again later"

"Okay" Kiyoko looks unsure but decided not to protest.

"Just tell me if you feel somethings is wrong" Kiyoko nodded, "I will"

"So you said you like Doraemon?"

"Yeah" Itachi tried his best to conceal his discomfort. "So do you have any favourite episodes?"

"Uhh well I don't really remember it, it's been a while" and their conversation keep going, and Itachi continued to pretend to like Doraemon, even c he's not, now he regretted what he did. At least they're not talking about his job anymore.

Itachi is smart, he also careful, Kiyoko knows it wouldn't be easy to take information from him, but she know she will, and their relationship seems to be getting better, so maybe it will be okay. Right mow she just enjoying talking to Itachi. If she keeps talking he will eventually let his guard down and open himself to her, and he will tell her, that's what her friends are saying.


End file.
